Eclipse
by megadoomingir
Summary: ZiM, all the way out on Earth, had to have been hiding something. War is here. The fate of the universe lies in tiny hands. All eyes are on ZiM as he decides that playing dumb isn't an option anymore. That those tiny hands need him to be more than a fake.
1. Whispers

**For those of you how have been watching this story, yes, I'm rewriting it. If you like it, please, say so.**

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The darkness of the universe was all the gods knew but as the universe's heart calmed and cooled, the gods came together and began to create their light and their followers. Every specie destined for higher intelligence was birthed from their god, but rarest of all was the Irken gods, twins, Caz of the light and Zac of the dark, both with views on how the Irks should begin their start on life.

Caz told the Irks that would listen that to become better than the rest, their morals and standards had to work in everyone's favor. Caz's white eyes saw promise in his listeners and he could see the good in all of them but their loyalty was tested when Caz's brother, Zac, his black eyes full of deceit, began his speech on Irk's true calling. He told them that controlling the universe was just as good and having everything in everyone's favor. The Irks would control all species that the other gods birthed and live the life of luxury as their slaves worked for them.

The idea shocked the young Irks but they saw the genius in the thought. Caz's anger at his twin boiled over to the point of a show down, both Irken gods using the elements of the universe against the other. The heart of the universe ached with pain and sadness as the two gods fought and as the other gods tried to stop the fighting they were either killed or sealed away, never to see the universe's face again. The heart of the universe cried out in pain, both Caz and Zac finally ceasing their quarrel to hear the call. Both saw the destruction and found that they could no longer support the Irks with the power they displayed.

The heart pleaded with the both of them to never fight again and to put their differences aside for the good of the rest of the universe. Caz and Zac agreed and as a binding seal, their palms were cut and from the wounds spilled good and evil, light and dark. The blood drips mixed together until their younger brother Shadow, his warm gray eyes full of innocence, was birthed. The universe's heart told the new god that he was to be taught by both of his siblings, to learn the ways of both light and dark.

As the universe began to grow from this point on, the universe's heart began to take upon the act of posing as the lesser species. After a while, the heart found itself enjoying the Meekrobs, Vortians and Irks the most as it had free range and access to many weapons and technology that other races did not.

So that by this time, the Irks and the rest of the aliens in the universe had begun to utilize the elements that their planets provided and buildings and weapons sprung up from the dust, their civilizations growing quickly. Caz showed Shadow the good in the Irks and how to make good by giving without receiving and helping those who needed help. Zac showed the evil in the Irks and showed Shadow how to implant thoughts of wickedness into their minds.

In the end, Shadow found himself immersed in evil, becoming more and more like Zac. Caz found that the Irks, who were now reaching their peak in economic stature, were also becoming wicked demons. The white-eyed Irken god was ready to give up on the lives he and his brother created, until he found that a Vortian scientist was trying to replicate he and his brother's miraculous abilities.

The Vortians had been successful in their attempts, their program D.O.M.I.A., or **D**eclarative **O**peration for **M**ining **I**rken **A**bilities, had already produced ten healthy Irken clones that held miraculous abilities. As Caz observed the program and the Vortains that ran it, he and his brothers were met with a sad realization: the Vortains were creating these Irks to narrow the search for the heart of the universe.

Caz, Zac and Shadow found themselves breaking into the facility and splicing their blood with the blood of the earlier clones, creating a new smeet and the universe's next planned body. Caz gave the smeet compassion and innocence while Zac gave him strength and quick comprehension. Shadow endowed the smeet with fast reflexes and bubbling cuteness. The gods then gave the smeet the ability to wield the elements of the universe for his own protection and the smeet's eyes turned a soft Pacific blue as he came to life, the innocence inside his bubbling over as he took his first breath.

The Irken gods left the smeet to stay with his half siblings but a few months later was transferred secretly to an Irken Hatchery after his ten other half siblings were brutally murdered by the Tallest Chi. Chi was forced to resign to make room for Tallests Red and Purple a few months after that.

The smeet managed to take on Irken society, as brutal as it was, but was forced to wear a fake PAK seeing as his body had no need for a real one. All he knew was pain and neglect but seeing as he was destined for greater things, the road he would soon journey would be the most difficult.

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**I hope this explains a bit more into the ****Eclipse**** story and I'd like to hear what you think.**


	2. Past

**Because I thought it would be nice to get this story out of my hair. Thanks to the people who reviewed. Here's another chapter.**

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All he could remember the doctor saying was that he wanted to run some tests. Then when a nurse had handed him a needle… everything began to grow dark. All the smeet could remember doing after that was running down dark halls and corridors, looking for a way out. They were going to hurt him and he was terrified.

A group of chattering nurses watched the smeet run past them followed by the doctor and a guard. They weren't far behind. They would soon catch him. Tears bit into the smeet's cheeks but he was still able to see his chance: an Irken nurse pushing a cart across the hall.

The smeet took a deep breath, sped up and slid cleanly under the cart easily standing once again to dart down the hall. He didn't take the time to enjoy the crash.

The smeet slowed as he observed the lack of doors the further down this hall he went. At the end of the hall, however, there was a single door separated from the rest of the world by about fifty feet that was stationed to the left.

The smeet couldn't take any chances with planning another route. Hiding was the best option. The smeet bolted down the hall and snagged the doorknob, nearly breaking it as he jerked it open. He took care, though, to close the door as quietly as possible.

The smeet rested his head on the metal door and sobbed quietly all the while being observed by two concerned magenta eyes.

The patient, whose room the smeet entered, sat up quietly in his bed turning from the smeet to glare hatefully at the equipment that he was hooked up to. A needle that hung from an IV was the first thing that was ripped from the sick Irken's arm. He then proceeded to remove his heart monitor sensors and then his brain sensors.

The patient's attention then moved to the smeet, "Hey," he said softly and hoarsely.

The smeet jumped up and turned to meet the patient's gaze as he slid down to the floor and cried, "No…" he buried his face in his arms, "no please no…"

The patient looked shocked, "What is there to be scared of? Why do you cry?"

The smeet didn't look up, "They want to hurt me. They want to experiment on me…" he looked up, meeting the patient's gaze once more, "I…"

The patient's eyes widened this time.

He stepped down clumsily from his bed and knelt on his knees as he cupped the smeet's face in his hands, "Your eyes…"

"They're horrible."

The sick Irken giggled as he smiled, "No… they're beautiful."

They were blue. A perfect, clear Pacific blue. Through the tears, it seemed as though a galaxy could be seen, sparkling and bringing out colors the Irk thought he'd never see.

The smeet hiccupped, "Are… are you gonna tell them I'm here?"

The Irken scoffed, an arm raised in the air, "HA!! If they are planning to harm you then they shall never find you!!"

The smeet's tears poured down his cheeks as he suddenly hugged this strange Irken, "Thank you!! Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!!"

The sick Irken seemed surprised at first and was about to return the hug when he realized, "You have no PAK?!"

The patient sprung up to his feet, "Where is it?! Where did you drop it?! We must find or else you'll-"

The Irken stopped. The smeet was laughing. It wasn't a hard laugh, but a tickly giggle of a laugh.

The sick Irken's eyes narrowed, "You laugh?! This is no funny!! You'll die without-"

The smeet's giggling continued, but he managed to stop with a deep breath, "I never had one," he said innocently, his face holding a big smile, "but I see everyone else does, but I no know why."

The sick Irken scratched his head and had his own PAK check his internal life clock. Damn… only 6 minutes and 36 seconds. Being off the machines was already starting to kill him…

The sick Irken's eyes widened. Kill him.

The Irken sat on his butt and stared back at the smeet, "Tell me… what is your name?"

The smeet looked kind of surprised, "M-my name?"

The patient nodded.

The smeet looked off to the side, off in his own thoughts, "My name…"

The sick Irken stared, "Don't you have one?"

The smeet nodded slowly, "Yes… but it's not exactly a name…"

"Well… what is it?"

The smeet breathed in, "They call me Eleven…"

The patient's eyes softened and he smiled gently, "Eleven…" he stood and pulled the smeet up, "Well, Eleven, you need to disappear to be safe, yes?" Eleven nodded, "And seeing as I'm going to die in this place, you could pretend to be me!!"

Eleven's head cocked to the side, "Be you? But we don't look the same!! I no need a PAK… and I have blue eyes… and… my antennae!!" he pulled one down to show the other Irk, "They look like bolts of shocky things!!"

The Irken laughed, "Nothing a good hologram won't fix."

"But," Eleven thought, "if I pretend to be you… where will you go?"

The Irken's eyes seemed to lose a bit of life, "I'm already dying. But you've got a life ahead of you!! What are you nine? Ten maybe?"

The smeet nodded, "Ten."

"See?" the patient proclaimed, "You've got a chance to live out there!! I'm…" he sat on the floor, "I'm not able to stay ten minutes away from these machines. If you take my PAK and we use a hologram to switch out our visible differences, you can start a new life!!"

Eleven sat next to the Irken, his head resting on his shoulder, "But I'm not as tall as you…"

The Irken giggled, patting the smeet's head tenderly, "You're probably about an inch shorter, but trust me when I say no one will notice."

Eleven's eyes were tearing up again, "I don't want you to die…"

The patient wrapped his arms gently around the smeet, "You probably don't, but as long as you're able to escape this place, I'm able to live with that. If it's the last thing I would be able to do, I'd choose it every time."

The smeet sniffed and leaned back up to nod at the older Irken, "O… O.K."

The patient smiled, "Good," his PAK handed him a small remote, then detached itself from his back, "Take the PAK and hold it against your back."

Eleven took the PAK as the patient fiddled with the controls.

As the cold metal came in contact with the smeets shirt, the older Irken took him in a tight hug, "Bite my shoulder if you have to but don't scream."

All Eleven could hear was the crunching of his spine. His eyes filled with tears but he didn't scream.

The Irk held the smeet tightly, rubbing his back that was above the PAK, "You're doing a really good job… Just don't scream…"

Eleven's gloved claws were digging in to the older Irken's arm but the Irk just shrugged it off. He had been taught to deal with pain. This smeet had never experienced such a thing.

When it was over, the smeet took a deep shaky breath, "I…"

The Irk smiled, "You didn't scream," he felt Eleven begin to tremble, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but I promise that's the only pain you'll feel. It's all over."

Eleven coughed, "I thought I was gonna scream… I wanted to… I wanted to…"

The patient smiled, pressing a button on the remote, "But you didn't."

Eleven suddenly found himself staring into his own eyes. The Irk before him had all his features, antennae, eyes and luckily they both wore the same dull, magenta uniform.

The older Irken coughed harshly and fell to the side, his hand on his chest as he shivered in a quake of pain.

Eleven gasped and took the older Irk's hand, "No. No, I changed my mind. You don't have to die now!!"

The patient smiled warmly, "Eleven," he breathed in softly, "when you get to be a little older, you'll understand why I did this," he laughed softly to himself, closing his eyes, "After all, I'd rather die having helped someone than to have died… and accomplished nothing…"

And then his breathing stopped.

--

**R&R I hope you liked this. Tell me what you think of the mystery Irken and Eleven. Because feedback IS appreciated.**


	3. Simple Freedoms

**Because you guys really seem to enjoy this (I guess, I REALLY don't know) here's another chapter. P.S. This one has ZiM in it!! :D**

-- **Years later...**

Two eyes, one human and one concealed behind contacts, were locked in a raging battle for the fate of the world. Everyone's concentration was somewhere else, but the first to blink would have to forfeit some freedoms over the Earth.

The green kid on one side of the room smiled inwardly, seeing as blinking was something he didn't need to do. The human boy on the other side of the room, however, was not doing as well, the veins in his eyes becoming more visible as the organs began to dry out.

A loud noise at the front of the room had everyone looking to their teacher, the old and terrifyingly angry Ms. Bitters, even the two locked in mortal eye combat. The teacher had slammed a digital clock on the front of her desk, cracking the time-teller but leaving the desk unscathed.

Her expression told the students that this was important, "Class," she hissed, "This clock shows you how many more worthless minutes you'll be spending in this room. For then next four minutes, thirty-two seconds and fifty-eight milliseconds you will do as you please as long it does not involve destruction of school property or taping Dib to the ceiling," the class groaned loudly, but the green kid laughed openly, "Until this clock beeps, you are to stay in the classroom."

The teacher then seemed to shut down, not saying another word. The class broke off into groups of friends, each person telling their little group what activities they would be participating in over the summer.

Neither Dib, nor the green kid, moved from their seats. Their eyes were no longer locked in mortal eye combat but both were now staring at the clock. Dib tore his eyes away for a moment to look at his nemesis, the alien, the threat, the one and only-

"ZiiiiiiiiiM!!"

Dib stared at his enemy as he randomly yelled out his name, "Are… are you bipolar or something?"  
ZiM glared, "Nonsense!! ZiM was merely testing to see if Ms. Bitters would react, for she has neglected to tell the class and ZiM why we are leaving."

The human child's eyes twitched, "Are you insane?! It's summer vacation!!"

"Summer," ZiM inwardly attached the word to the word 'simmer', "ZiM DOES NOT WISH TO BE SUMMERED!!"

"No, no, no," Dib replied, rubbing his temples, "It's a _vacation_. Time off," he glared, "which will give me more time to stop YOU from taking over the world."

"HA!! Seeing as I am a normal bacon-muncher, I have NO idea what you are talking about, you filthy flea-hugger!!"

"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?!"

The two began to glare daggers into the other and would have stayed that way had the clock began to beep repetitively. The students crammed their way through the door, windows and ventilation shafts all in the effort to escape to the outer world.

Dib and ZiM were that last to leave, but both refused to leave at the same time, even if they wouldn't say it out loud. ZiM stood proudly, broke the eye contact and walked out of the room without so much as a word. Dib, who wasn't the kind of person who allowed his nemesis the satisfaction of walking away, ran after the Irken, all the while making sure that his enemy was uncomfortable.

"So ZiM. ZiM," the human began, "what ARE you going to do to try to destroy the Earth this summer? Ant infestation? Lice epidemic? GIANT ALIEN ROBOT BEAR?!"

ZiM growled lowly, "Dib, quiet," he hissed as they neared the end of the hall and came to the exit.

Dib sneered, "Am I _annoying_ you, ZiM?"

The human child said the sentence with such sarcasm and sweetness, that ZiM turned to face him, "Yes, ZiM is annoyed. But ZiM has many other things to accomplish that surprisingly, human lamp-lover, do not have you in the equation."

Dib's eyes widened, "You mean… you have plans that don't have any possible way for me to stop you?!"

ZiM held the sneer now, "Yessss…. like… see this… PENCIL!!" ZiM pulled a pencil from behind his back, "You can't stop me, the almighty ZIM… from dropping it."

Dib gasped as ZiM made the motion of dropping it, "ZiM, STOP!! You don't know what you're doing!!"

ZiM made the motion again, but the third time he did, the Irken let go. Things seemed to slow down for Dib as the innocent pencil chosen for this torture dropped from the alien's hand and hit the ground, hard, snapping off the tip and breaking the pencil in two.

Dib dropped to his knees, "NOOOOOO!! I'M A FAILURE!! WHY?!"

ZiM laughed evilly as he began his walk home, Dib crouching over the pencil to see if there was anything he could do. In reality, ZiM did have a few problems that didn't involve the pestering human. He had been receiving messages from the Tallests that read 'Urgent!!' on them, but ZiM did not want to call them back until he had more interesting news about the humans other than 'they wash their feet with soap'.

After ZiM finally rounded a corner and disappeared, Dib finally stopped sobbing, "Wait… why am I crying over a pencil?! It's a pencil!!" he chucked the remaining bits off into the school's bushes, "ZiM said he had plans that I couldn't possibly interfere with… unless…" the child stood, "He must've meant unless I happen to find them!! HA!! I've seen passed your sick riddle ZiM!! I've-"

Dib paused and looked around, "I have GOT to stop talking to myself!!"

The boy then sprinted home as fast as his legs would carry him.

--

**R&Rs prove you've been reading this. Hope you like it and such. ;)**


	4. Dense

**The reviews are appreciated and, alas, I cannot and will not tell you anything to spoil the upcoming chapters. You'll just have to read for yourselves. ;P**

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GIR wasn't there to open the door for his master so when ZiM expected his robot slave to serve him in his entrance, he found his face meeting his front door for the first time. The little alien cursed, swung the door open and slammed it, watching his SIR unit skip gracefully from the kitchen to his side.

"MASTER!!" GIR screeched, "You be home early like the worm!!"

ZiM's eye twitched, but he found himself unable to yell at his incompetent robot, "GIR," he began as he removed his contacts and wig, throwing them onto his couch, "I need you to do your master a very big secret favor."

GIR's eyes turned red as he saluted, "Yes, my master."

ZiM began walking to the kitchen, "GIR, I need you to watch out for the Dib human. I distracted him with the demise of an Earth pencil, but that can only keep the pest at bay for so long. If Dib gets anywhere near base kick him back out, yes?"

GIR saluted again and sat on the couch, his master now going down the trashcan chute to his labs. It didn't take very long for the SIR to forget ZiM's command and soon the robot was busy eating ZiM's disguise while watching TV.

Down in ZiM's labs, the Irken was busy preparing to call his Tallests now having information about both summer vacation and human feet washing. The call was being sent through as ZiM's brushed off his shirt and stood proudly before the screen.

The wide TV screen flashed to the national Irken symbol and an animated voice responded, "Please hold, the Tallests will be with you shortly."

ZiM grunted angrily at the slow response, "Eh? You DARE tell ZiM that he cannot speak with his Tallests NOW?! ZiM is most DISPLEASED!!"

"Hey," the voice said irritatingly casually, "I'm just an animated voice. Don't take your anger out on me, sir."

"Sir?" ZiM mused, "SIR?! I AM ZiM!! YOU SHOULD CALL ME… eh… ZIR!!"

There was a long awkward pause between Irk and machine voice before ZiM finally said, "That means ZiM-sir."

The voice sighed, "Of course, sir. The Tallests will be with you shortly."

ZiM began his grumbling again, but found himself holding in his anger. He didn't want to seem distressed in front of his amazing leaders.

The screen then switched to the deep red invader symbol and a different voice interrupted the Irk's thought, "The Tallests have awaited your call but are presently busy with other matters. Please, stay on hold as your call is a matter of importance."

ZiM's eyes widened. He had never been greeted in this matter. Though his Tallests were not on the screen, he felt a thorough reach of honor.

The little Irken's gaze had settled and transfixed itself onto the screen, prepared for as soon as his leaders came up on the TV.

A loud stumble in the air ducts above ZiM, however, had him looking away from the screen and preparing for what he already could predict as the Dib fell from his ceiling.

"DIB!!"

ZiM tackled the human in midair, sending his rival into the wall. ZiM pulled back for a punch, but Dib dodged it just in time picking up a broken device and chucking it at ZiM's head. The two fought each other for a moment more before the Tallests appeared on screen looking both tired and worn.

The spectacle for the Tallests was rather interesting but they had matters to tend to, so Red spoke first, "ZiM!! We need to-"

"Do NOT worry, my Tallests!!" ZiM yelled proudly as he shoved Dib back to wave, "ZiM will apprehend the intruder!!"

Purple looked at his companion as ZiM tried to dog-pile Dib himself, "ZiM knows some very big words."

"Yes," Red thought suspiciously, "He may be trying to confuse us. Maybe we shouldn't ask him. What if it's-"

"A mistake in calculations?" Purple finished, "Yes I was thinking the same thing…"

Red stared, tired and a bit weepy, "I DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU ANYMORE!!"

Purple didn't even try to reason with his companion as he watched Dib yank on ZiM's antennae causing the smaller Irk to yell, "OW!! No cheating!!"

Purple sighed, burying his head in a hand as he tapped forcefully on the glass, "ZiM? We need to talk… now."

ZiM struggled to tie Dib to an upside down chair, "In a second my Tallest," his tongue hung out as he tightened a knot, "The Dib-human might escape if ZiM does not secure him properly!! He's tricky, my Tallest. A tricky cheater."

Dib glared, "I don't cheat!!" ZiM promptly gagged the cheater.

Tallest Purple's eyes flared, "We may not have TIME, ZiM!!"

Red was also fuming, "We've been up for almost a month straight now, ZiM!! We're tired, frustrated and if you don't talk to us now, we're all-"

"DONE!!" ZiM whipped around and bowed lowly, "My Tallests."

Purple nearly started crying, "Why? Why must this frustrate so much?"

Red tried to breathe deeply, "ZiM we're having some… problems… out here and you may be the only one who can…" the transmission began to get foggy as Red voice and then face began to disappear.

"Eh? This is not time for failures!!" ZiM looked up, "Computer!! What's wrong with the transmission?!"

The computer beeped, "The Tallests' end was severed. They're being jammed."

ZiM gasped, oblivious that Dib's head was becoming beat-red from being upside down, "Who DARES jam the Tallests?! They're the Tallests!!"

Dib spit out his gag, "They're leaders aren't they? And evil ones, too. They have to have SOME enemies!!"

ZiM rested his arm on the underside of Dib's neck, thinking, "Well… I suppose… But even then the Massive was built to deter such a feat. Anyone trying to jam their frequencies would explode instantly due to a wiring malfunction in their own systems."

Dib stared wide eyed at ZiM, "One: since when did you give explanations that make sense. And two: I'm gunna pass out if you don't flip me over."

ZiM laughed heartily, "Ahh, Dib, you are no pancake."

Dib could only think that he was in the incapable hands of a mad Irken.

--

**Well, if you're confused about some sentences, I can guess at which parts. But if you reread carefully, you'll hopefully get the jokes. R&R because I'm curious to know what you think.**


	5. Complications

**Well, I might as well update another chapter for the sheer sake of it. So here's another. Enjoy.**

--

Dib struggled against his bindings, his eyes darting around the room. ZiM had long since forgotten him and went to his computer to try and aid the Tallests by sending his own frequency along a smaller channel. The forgetfulness, however, left the young human Dib upside down and tied to a chair suspended a few inches over the floor.

ZiM's peripheral vision caught sight of his prisoner, "Trying to escape, human?" he cackled lowly, "NEVER!! That knot is impenetrable!! And unknottable!!"

Dib glared, "That's not even a word!!"

ZiM turned and laughed manically, "Even so!! Its describes quite well the predicament you're in."

Dib's eyes twitched, "Seriously, what's WRONG with you?! Sure, you're still acting like yourself but with such… intelligent reasoning!! Still making up words… but the reasoning!!" Dib whimpered, "You're making my head hurt, you know!!"

ZiM tsked, turning around slowly, "That is not ZiM's problem. It is yours."

"Well," Dib sniffed, "could you at least turn me over?"

ZiM's movements were so swift and so direct that Dib didn't even see the invader's gloved hand reach out for the chair seat and yank down to snap the line that held the chair up but the force that the human was dropped with cracked every chair leg, left a large dent in the floor and had Dib almost throwing up.

ZiM had already turned back to his work, "Happy now?"

Dib looked around in a daze as the blood rushed back down to the rest of his body, but nodded before finally muttering a quiet 'yes'.

ZiM scoffed, "Good, because if you interrupt me again," he voice got louder and seemed a little sarcastic, "NO one, not ANYONE can stop me from pummeling your face in!!"

Dib gulped, " Umm… O.K…"

ZiM turned around and growled lowly at the human, then turned back to his work, the silence in the room after that dragging on.

After a few moments, ZiM finally spoke, "So… how did you get in?"

Dib shrugged, seeing as ZiM asked first, "I asked your robot if you were home and he threw me in an air duct. I just followed your voice from there."

The Irk nodded but said nothing.

The human boy wiggled carefully in his binds as he got comfortable, "Can I ask you a question?" ZiM said nothing, so Dib continued, "No doubt you noticed the condition your leaders were in and their talk of a problem. ZiM, what has your leaders so… scared?"

ZiM hands were on either side of the chair's wooden armrests with another one of his swift motions. His face was in a tight glare, his eyes were burning with hate and his teeth were in a tight clench.

"Dib," Zim tried to say in a calm manner, "The Tallests, nor any other Irk alive, is afraid of anything this universe can dish out so if you mention that again I'll have to make you eat your spleen."

Dib gulped again, "W-well… why are they… distracted?"

ZiM sighed silently and let go of the chair, rubbing his head as he turned around, "I don't know."

The human let out a quiet sigh of relief, "You're not worried if they are?"

ZiM scoffed, "HA!! ZiM is NEVER worried!! Whatever ails the Tallests shall not ail-"

"ZIIIIIIIIIIM!!"

ZiM's eyes widened and his antennae perked, but he did not move, "That… HORRIBLE voice…"

A pair of purple eyes glared at the Irken from the dark, "ZiM, the Tallests have sent us to-"

"Take care of my pest problem?"

"No, to-"

"Give me a new megadoomer?"

"What? NO!! To-"

"You brought me flying fish!! WHERE BE ZiM'S FLYIN' FISH?!"

A gloved hand reached out and grabbed ZiM's collar but as quickly as he was grabbed was released. There sounded like a scuffle out in the shadowed corner of the room. ZiM fixed his collar and stared at Dib, who was equally confused.

Hushed voices began to converse: "Look, I know you hate him, but the Tallests said _alive_ and that means unharmed too, you know."

"Read my lips: I. Don't. Care."

There was a pause, "I can't… it's too dark."

There was a loud growl and finally an Irken jumped out from the shadows and tackled ZiM, "I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY SAY!!"

ZiM gave a loud scream before he was pinned to the ground, his eyes wide as they adjusted to see his assailant. ZiM's scream was suddenly replaced by a relieved laugh.

ZiM smiled contently, "Hello, Tak. Sorry for the yelling but for a second there ZiM thought you were a threat!!"

Tak's purple eyes burned with anger and her fists were tightly balled up, "I AM a threat, you idiot!!"

Tak pulled her hand back to throw a punch, but another set of gloved hands grabbed it, Skoodge's to be more precise.

Dib's eyes were wide with excitement and his mouth hung open in surprise, "Wow!! Irken combat behavior!!"

Tak lazily turned to gaze at the boy, ignoring ZiM's temperate demand for her to get off, "You're an idiot, Dib, you know that?"

Skoodge easily removed Tak from sitting on ZiM and sighed, "Look, we're here. Let's just get what we came for and go. They could be here any minute, you know."

Tak glared at her companion, but nodded.

ZiM stood proudly and turned back to his frequency channel, "Yes, yes, get what you came for and leave, for ZiM is busy trying to re-contact the Tallests…"

Skoodge teetered back and forth nervously, "Yeah, see about that…"

"Yes?"  
Skoodge coughed, "Well, ZiM what we were sent to get…"

"Uh huh…"

"It's kind of hard to explain…"

"Hurry, hurry and get it, you are bothering ZiM."

Tak smacked the back of Skoodge's head and narrowed her eyes at ZiM, "We came to get YOU, ZiM."

"Yes, yes, get it and-" ZiM stopped and turned around, "Me? The Tallests sent you to get _me_?"

Dib's eyes widened, "Your leaders sent you two to get _him_?!"

Tak growled, fists at her sides, "As much as it pains me to admit it, yes. I don't know why, ZiM, but they think you have knowledge that could help swing this war in their favor."

ZiM blinked, backing up into his screen console, "What? What are you talking about? What war?"

Skoodge's eyes closed as he spoke, "This war, while having only started a few months ago, has already began to deplete our side's reserves. While the other three sides are just as drained, our offensive just isn't enough to phase them."

ZiM turned back to his work, "ZiM knows nothing so go away. This will have to be brought up when I call the Tallests, that's for sure…"

Tak grabbed ZiM by the shoulder and spun him around, "We weren't told to ask you back, we were told to take you back. By any means necessary."

ZiM held his breath in as she stared him down. By Irk… she was serious.

--

**Well, another chapter and with all things considering, it's pretty long. R&R and tell me what you thought.**


	6. Bribes and Lasers

**Because you guys seem to be warming up to it. Another chapter. Enjoy.**

--

ZiM took another long look into Tak's eyes before coughing, "Yes well… of COURSE the Tallests need ZiM!! ZiM is their most advanced fighter!! If they are in trouble they WOULD need ZiM!!"

Tak rolled her eyes and grabbed ZiM by the sleeve, "I'm sure they do, ZiM, so if you don't mind-"

"But ZiM cannot leave!!"

Tak's eyes widened and she spun around to meet the shorter Irken's smiling face, "What?"

ZiM stood proudly, "As honored as ZiM is to have the Tallests extend an invitation, ZiM cannot leave, not just yet. Preparations need to be made, of course."

Tak growled, but Skoodge held her back, "Well, er, ZiM… we kind of have to leave as soon as possible."

ZiM stared at Skoodge with a single eye, "Well then, YOU will have to wait. ZiM's preparations are most important!!"

Tak looked as though she was about to claw her own eyes out, but sighed, "Fine. What needs to be done, then?"

"First," ZiM replied with an arm pointed in the air, "ZiM must reestablish communications with the Massive."

Dib smiled to himself. He was witnessing a helpful in-look on Irken behavior and was loving every minute of it. How could he stop smiling?

Tak rubbed her temples, "All right, fine. Do you need assistance or not."

ZiM was already busy sending his signal, "No, I've got it. Just a few more minutes and ZiM will have the Massive on line."

Dib wiggled in his chair, "Um… can I be untied? My butt's falling asleep… And I think ZiM gave me dead arm…"

ZiM turned around to stare at Dib, "Dead arm? Well, that's going to have to be lopped off. As for your butt, I'll get the smelling salts."

Dib blinked, visibly horrified, "You know what? Never mind…"

Skoodge inspected the human boy as Tak began to help ZiM fiddle with the controls, "Don't I know you?"

Dib glared at the Irken, "Yeah, you know me!! I'm Dib!! The one who was always stopping ZiM's plans?!"

Skoodge scratched his chin and nodded slightly, "Mhm, of course you are…"

The fat Irken wandered near ZiM's computer console and observed the human from a distance.

ZiM sent in a few more commands before the Massive's national invader sign popped up on the screen. ZiM's eyes glowed with accomplishment as the sign disappeared as was replaced by two bickering Tallests.

Their fight quickly stopped, however, and stared down at ZiM, who was stuck in a silly salute.

Red coughed, "Uh… at ease?"

ZiM's hand went to his side, "My Tallests!! It was unfortunate that our last call was cut short. The thought of someone jamming you made me angry so I sent my own signal. Now please, continue, my Tallests."

Red looked over at Purple, "Uh… what was I telling him?"

Purple shook his head and shrugged, "I don't remember what you say."

Red smiled, "Good, 'cause I tell you you're ugly, but you never seem to remember. That should be good for your self-esteem. Besides, I remember what I was going to tell him," he turned back to the screen, "ZiM you may be-"

A bag of donuts hit the red-eyed tallest in the back of the head, and he took a moment to glare at his fellow Tallest, but said nothing.

"As I was saying… you may be the only one who can resolve this. ZiM."

The little Irken's feelings were welling up.

"We need…"

It was coming… his standing ovation would soon be at hand.

"… you to…"

ZiM's eyes were tightly shut with excitement. This was it. His promotion to general.

"… allow Tak and Skoodge to take you into custody."

ZiM's eyes snapped open, "Eh? No promotion?"

Purple's eyes widened, "What the- NO!! Now allow them to arrest you!!"

ZiM turned around to stare at Tak and Skoodge, "Arrest? ZiM? Why?! ZiM has been nothing but loyal!!"

Red hovered away from the screen, "We know. But for your own safety, you must be apprehended as such."

ZiM's eye darted from Tak to Skoodge, "Safety? Why can't I just go with them without the apprehension?"

Purple shook his head, "Because that's no fun!! Tak, Skoodge, arrest him in the name of safety!!"

ZiM jumped at the TV screen as Tak made a lunge for him. The Tallests sat back in their chairs and watched, each nibbling from a bag of popcorn, as ZiM bounced off the TV screen and near Skoodge who clumsily tripped trying to grab ZiM.

The little Irken threw himself off to the side reaching off to the side to grab a crowbar. ZiM stood, angrily, brandishing his weapon of choice. If he was going to see the Tallests, then by Irk, he was going to see them without an arrest and with an ovation.

--

**Sorry this one is so short. The next one might be longer, whole… fight scene with Tak, Skoodge and ZiM with comments by both Tallests and a tied up Dib with dead arm and sleepy butt. R&R so I can hear your thoughts.**


	7. Angered Emotions

**Another chapter because I can. I'm not very good at fight scenes, so… bear with me…**

--

"Arrest for ZiM's SAFETY?!" ZiM hollered.

He stood tall… er… short, brandishing his crowbar, "ZiM knows something is wrong!! But ZiM needs no safety!!"

Tak's spider legs shot out from her PAK and landed hard on the floor, pushing her into the air and above ZiM.

She stared him down, "You're coming with us ZiM. Whether you like it or not."

Tak's spider legs propelled her forward and ZiM let out a battle cry as he jumped up to meet her, his crowbar coming in for the swing. Tak's eyes widened as she nearly dodged the crowbar, but managed to grab it as it passed her, surprising ZiM. The Irken female sneered as she swung the crowbar around, ZiM clinging to it, and kicked him off hard. ZiM's little Irken body ripped through his metal flooring, sparks flying everywhere and smoke beginning to billow out from broken pipes.

Purple spit out some of his popcorn, "Hey, we need him alive and willing to talk, not a bloody pulp of… bloody… bloodiness!!"

Red threw a handful of popcorn in his mouth, "Yeah… what he said."

Tak glared back at the TV screen, showing much self-control, "Of course… my Tallests," she turned back to the scar in the flooring, "I'll try my best to hold restraint."

Skoodge gulped and turned back to Dib, whose eyes were wide with fear and a mix of excitement.

A sudden rumble amongst the wreckage caught everyone's attention as ZiM's hand flew out of the scar and began to lift out the little Irken's crippled form. Everyone's eyes widened as ZiM pulled himself out of the hole he was in, shakily standing and seemingly dazed.

The little Irken took in a deep breath, a hand on his head and the other pointing at Tak, "ZiM has been through much worse," he had a goofy smile on his face now, "No hole will hold ZiM and no one will take ZiM."

Tak glared, "We'll see about that!!"

She lunged again and Skoodge took this opportunity to take Dib's chair over to a corner and turn it to face the wall. Dib angrily struggled against his bindings but no matter how much he twisted, he couldn't turn his head to see what was going on.

Tak gave a surprised yelp when ZiM jumped above her at the last second and hooked his foot in the back of her shirt, doing a single flip and landing gracefully on his feet while Tak landed hard on her back. She growled as she punched the floor and got on her feet again. ZiM was running back for the crowbar when she jumped on him, turning him over to punch him in the face.

She managed only one good punch, however, because ZiM was able to scratch at her face. Tak screamed and held a hand to her face to stop the bleeding, her eyes seething with hatred as she rolled off the smaller Irk.

Tak glared up at Skoodge, "Anytime, you idiot!!"

Skoodge jumped in surprise and his PAK handed him a pair of cuffs, "Well, if you would just be able to hold him still for a moment, I could get him."

Tak just growled and stood again, observing that ZiM now had his crowbar back and was resting it at his side, waiting for her to make a move. Skoodge snuck off to the right in hopes of catching ZiM off guard, but ZiM's darting eyes easily spotted him.

ZiM then made his move. The little Irken picked up the crowbar, let it go and kicked it at the fat Irken. Skoodge's eyes widened as the crowbar hit him, sending him backwards. The crowbar flew off somewhere with a clang and Skoodge didn't move as he tried not to tear up. Tak threw herself forward and punched ZiM in the stomach then did an uppercut, both making ZiM growl in anger.

The smaller Irken let himself fall and then tripped the angered female Irk. Tak got on her feet fast enough to see ZiM run over to a supply closet. He didn't open it, but his eyes were begging her to give him a reason to. Tak growled, and listened as Skoodge finally got to his feet grumbling, the cuffs resting unharmed at his side. ZiM's eyes went from Tak to Skoodge and Tak saw her opportunity.

The female Irken had her spider legs boost her forward, crushing ZiM against the closet door, denting it. Skoodge's eyes widened and he scrambled to grab the handcuffs and run over, trying to get at least one cuff on the struggling Irken. ZiM's waved his arms around as much as possible, hitting his elbows into Tak's back as he tried to keep his hands free of the cuffs.

Tak snarled out of impatience and grabbed ZiM's left hand, crushing it into the closet door and creating another dent. Skoodge quickly made his move and cuffed the single hand. Off in the background, the Tallests were cheering and giving each other high fives, already celebrating their victory.

Tak struggled to grab ZiM's right hand, but when she looked up to see where it was she gasped. His eyes no longer held the light pink orbs that most red or magenta-eyed Irkens sported. ZiM's eyes had lost all life and were now vacant. Skoodge also saw this and backed away out of fear.

Tak knew this look. ZiM wasn't going to fight to get away. Now he was going to fight to make sure that neither Tak nor Skoodge ever got up again.

Tak threw ZiM into the shadows of the room and backed up next to Skoodge, "He's on pure adrenaline now. If we can pin him… _when_ we pin him," Skoodge gulped, but Tak continued, "we can just slip on the other cuff. No problem."

Skoodge faked a laugh, "Yeah… no problem."

The sound of metal gently scrapping on metal filled the room. It was a soft noise, but it had everyone, even Dib who hadn't seen anything but a well-cleaned wall for the past few minutes, on edge. The Tallests were no longer celebrating.

Sparks flew from the area in which Tak threw ZiM and a long robotic tentacle lurched from the darkness and cracked through the TV screen, breaking it. The TV fell to the floor with a crash and ZiM flew out from the darkness, robotic tentacles flying from his PAK in every direction. Skoodge and Tak found themselves running from the little monster into another section of the room with loose pipes and thick wires hanging from the ceiling and draping the floor.

Dib gulped as he heard Skoodge and Tak scream from time to time. Every passing second could only mean that ZiM was getting angrier and angrier. Only a matter of time before he found Dib again and killed him. He was tied to a CHAIR for corn's sake!!

Dib frantically struggled against his bindings, his chair hopping around as he did so, but a soft noise made him stop. Something grabbed hold of the back of the chair and held it firmly to the ground.

Dib felt tears well up in his eyes. It had to be ZiM. He was going to die. Dib shut his tightly, but nothing happened.

A soft voice broke the terrifying silence, "I want to help you," it said in a whisper.

It kind of sounded like ZiM.

"I want to help," it said again, "but you have to trust me and be very quiet. O.K.?"

Dib breathed in deeply and nodded, still unable to see who was speaking.

The voice sighed, "O.K…"

Dib saw two gloved hands slowly make their way around to the front of him and start to untie the knots ZiM had so proudly tied.

Dib gulped, his mouth dry, "Wh-why can't you just turn me around? Wouldn't it be easier to get to the knots?"

The hands stopped untying for moment then continued their work, "I don't want you to see me."

Dib's eyes tried to wander to see the person behind him, but the chair was preventing him from doing so. He soon gave up but mentally gasped when he saw the person's left hand.

It had a cuff securely around its wrist.

--

**Yay or nay? R&R and tell me what you thought of this one.**


	8. Limits

**Another chapter for the patient readers. Enjoy.**

--

Dib gulped. The person untying him sounded like ZiM and, though calm, had the cuff around his wrist. The human boy began to let out a scream when one of the gloved hands covered his mouth quickly.

"SH!!" the voice sounded irritated, "I told you to be quiet!! I'm saving you here and I know I'm gunna get in trouble for this!!"

Dib's breathing was deep and quick, but the voice continued, "I'm gunna let you go now… It's O.K… O.K.?"

Dib thought it over for a moment before nodding. The glove let go and quickly began finishing off the smaller knots that ZiM had managed to hold Dib down with.

The human's brain was firing, "If… if you're not ZiM, then who ARE you?! Why are you helping ME?! Why won't you let me see you and why do I have to be quiet?"

The gloved hands stopped at the final knot, the last knot that held Dib down, the voice whispering, "Maybe this was a bad idea…" the hands dropped to the side, "ZiM said… he said he was going to kill you along with Tak and Skoodge…" the gloved hands turned to fists then went back to the knot, "That's why I'm helping you. I don't care if you're ungrateful, ZiM's gotten too protective."

The knot was close to being pulled, Dib feeling a wave of relief as it slowly came undone, "So… you're being quiet so we won't attract ZiM?"

"And Tak and Skoodge," the voice responded, "I'm… almost done with this knot and… I need to ask you a favor."

Dib weighed the odds. This unknown person was setting him free and, in doing so, was going to make ZiM very, very angry. However, if he said 'no', this unknown person may leave him with a very angry ZiM, who was now running on pure adrenaline.

Dib sighed, "All right. What do you want me to do?"

The voice sighed after him, "After I finish off this knot, I need you to promise that you won't turn around until I've left and then get out of here as soon as possible."

The human boy thought it over for another moment, "Is that all? O.K., I guess."

Even though Dib couldn't see the person, they smiled, warmly and the gloved hand quickly took out the last knot. The human waited a few seconds, then turned around to see an Irken clad in blue sneaking back into the shadows. The Dib smiled and creaked slowly off the chair, rushing into another section of shadows as he followed the other Irk closely.

There was an explosion and a scream of terror from Skoodge as both arresting Irkens ran across the room and dove into a garbage chute that would eventually lead them outside if they didn't make their own way out. ZiM came around the corner and growled loud and angrily, blasting a laser into the chute, his eyes wide with anger. The Irk in blue emerged from the shadows and ran over to the angered ZiM as he lowered himself to the ground and put his spider legs and robot tentacles away. They were nearly the same height, ZiM being nearly an inch taller.

Dib was worried at first, seeing as this was the being who had spared him, but all concern melted away when ZiM started speaking, "ZiM almost had them," his hands balled into fists, "ZiM was so close…"

The other Irken shook their head and carefully slipped their hand out of the cuff, "You didn't have to try to kill them you know. We could've escaped when we were thrown into the shadows."

Dib's eyes widened as he spied. _ZiM_ was thrown into the shadows… 'when _we_ were thrown'?

ZiM shook his head, "No, no. They were begging to be destroyed by the amazing ZiM hands of ZiM!!" ZiM's fists were in the air with much emphasis.

The other Irk giggled, making ZiM's eyes narrow, "You laugh now, but they know too much about you. They could end up making weird connections… and other things."

The blue clad Irken giggled softly again and turned around, unknowingly facing Dib, "You're not making sense no more."

Dib's eyes were streaked with red veins as he stared at the other Irken's blue eyes.

ZiM crossed his arms as he rolled his eyes, "Well ZiM is making much more sense than you. You still speak like a smeet."

The blue-eyed Irk turned around innocently, "But I am a smeet."

Dib turned away from the conversation the two Irkens were having and started to breath fast and deep as he began to process all the new information he had picked up. Never in all his spying days had he ever encountered this much valuable information.

A loud rumble tore Dib from his thoughts as a wave of fire punched the door off of the elevator and sent a nearly singed Skoodge screaming out of control. ZiM had already pinned the younger Irk against a wall protectively and Dib was able to get a good view of Skoodge knocking himself unconscious as he smacked painfully into the opposing wall. ZiM took no time in sending the younger Irk sprawling into the shadows, unknowingly next to Dib, and preparing a fighting stance, spider legs suspended in the air as he waited.

The blue clad Irk's eyes widened as he found himself face to face with the human boy, "I… you were…" he glared, "I thought I told you to leave!!" he whispered harshly.

"Me?!" Dib whispered back, "You… ZiM…" Dib growled in frustration and held his head in his arms.

The blue-eyed Irk shook his head and turned to watch ZiM as a tall figure emerged from the smoke billowing out from the broken elevator, carrying Tak by the neck. The figure was a very tall Irk with long antennae and bright red eyes. Both eyes looked like they had almost been clawed out with the right eye having a scar above it and the left with a crown on top and a single scar below it.

His eyes were narrow and he had a smirk easing its way onto his face as he sighed with the utmost sarcasm, "I thought the Tallests would have sent stronger reinforcements to aid in your capture," he threw Tak off to the side; she didn't move, "but I regret to accept the fact that they are completely naive," his eyes connected with ZiM's, "and all too trusting."

ZiM gulped, but his glare made it look like he just needed to swallow, "What do you want?"

The tall Irken laughed. He was wearing a trench coat that covered his gloves and went down to his ankles and what appeared to be a red turtleneck with half a black invader's sign on it. Other than that, it was black pants and durable looking black boots.

The scarred Irken made a step forward and when ZiM made no move backwards, took another, "I'm here for the same reason they are. I'm here to collect you."

ZiM's eyes narrowed further and the smeet next to Dib gulped.

Dib took in a deep breath when he saw the blue-eyed Irken's reaction, "They don't want ZiM," he said softly, turning the smeet to face him, "They want you," the young Irk turned away shamefully, "they want to capture you."

The blue-eyed smeet nodded slowly, "ZiM protected me… and this is what he got for it."

Dib's gaze then fell on ZiM. The small Irken was in a battle posture but still made no move when the taller Irken took another step forward.

"Well," the tall one mused, "what are you waiting for?"

ZiM's glare deepened but he suddenly smiled, looking to the taller Irk's left, "Her."

ZiM jumped off to his left as Tak's boot came into contact with the taller Irken's head. The red-eyed Irk growled and began to fight the angry purple-eyed Irken he thought he had apprehended moments before.

ZiM, quickly forgotten in the heat of battle, scooched to where he had hidden the blue-eyed smeet, "Come," he said quietly, "ZiM must take you-"

ZiM's eyes widened when he saw Dib, "-to your DOOM!!" he snatched the young Irk from Dib's side, "What are you doing, Dib?! Filling the young smeet with ZiM-lies about ZiM?!"

The smeet's large blue eyes began to water as he grabbed ZiM's arm, "ZiM, no!! He wasn't doing anything!! He's a human smeet like I'm an Irken smeet!! Let'em go!!"

ZiM's eyes were wavering with anger, but he balled his hands into fists, "Next time," he pointed to the surprised human, "you won't be as lucky."

The smeet's eyes narrowed, "Well that's gunna have to be a long next time," he extended out a hand and helped Dib up, "because he didn't leave sooner, he's coming with us."

Something inside ZiM snapped, "WHAT?!" he screamed over an explosion, "ARE YOU INSANE?!" he grabbed the smeet up in his arms, "He's going to slow us down and prevent a clean escape!! You'll be captured and ZiM will be killed!! You need to survive through this!!"  
The smeet blinked as ZiM let him go to stand proudly, "ZiM will not allow the Dib anywhere near the smeet of importantness!!"

"Well," the blue-eyed Irken thought, "he doesn't have to be near me to escape with us."

ZiM stared at the smeet with a single eye.

The smeet took in a soft breath, "Please?" ZiM just narrowed his eyes, "Please, most amazing and powerful ZiM?"  
ZiM smiled, "Well," he tapped his chin in thought, "if you insist. But he cannot touch you!!"

The smeet nodded once and smiled as ZiM opened a cover to the ventilation shaft and checked it to make sure it was a safe route.

Dib gulped, "How did you…?"

The smeet giggled, "ZiM's got a big ego. If it's not possible for me to get him on my side with a sad face, I appeal to the ego."

The human boy breathed in deep, "Ah," ZiM jumped into the shaft first and the smeet was about to follow when Dib stopped him, "Wait!!"  
The smeet turned to look at him, his blue eyes sparkling.

"What's… your name?"

The smeet smiled, having been asked this question once before, "Eleven," he said simply, "My name's Eleven."

The blue-eyed Irk jumped down the chute with an excited scream and was quickly followed by Dib who barely knew the mess he had gotten himself into.

--

**Well, another chapter, another twist and another character. R&R if you end up feeling like it.**


	9. The Grove

**All your questions about ZiM and Eleven will be answered in this chapter. Visit me on deviantart if you want more details. The name is still megadoomingir.**

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It hadn't taken long for the ventilation shaft to spit all three occupants out onto hard asphalt, each groaning as they lifted themselves off the ground. It was dark outside and the street lamps were just now starting to perform their duties.

ZiM grabbed Eleven by the shoulder sleeve, "Quickly, quickly we must get you to a place ZiM deems safe."

Dib mimicked ZiM's fast pace, "What about your disguises?! You'll easily be picked out!!"

ZiM shoved Eleven into a large bush growing near the entrance of the street, then took Dib and shoved him in too. The human boy landed alongside the smeet who looked more worried than sad that he had just been manhandled.

ZiM paced, muttering soft curses, "Stupid wig… contacts are probably in GIR's belly by now…"

Eleven sighed sadly, "ZiM, it's O.K… we don't need a disguise."

The older Irk growled, "How is ZiM supposed to protect the smeet if the smeet is not disguised?!"

ZiM's eyes widened, then he smiled, "GENIUS!!"

Dib jumped out of surprise and watched ZiM seemingly disappear, his floating PAK the only thing remaining. The human's eyes widened as he looked at Eleven. The one detail he had overlooked: the smeet bore no PAK.

The PAK quickly attached itself to Eleven's back and a hologram of human ZiM covered the smeet's more noticeable traits.

The humanlike eyes blinked a couple times then the ZiM controlled Eleven coughed, "Right," he said in the usual ZiM tone, "onwards!! To safety!!"

The strange combination began to march deeper into the brush, leaving Dib and his fried brain behind. An explosion from ZiM's base was the cure to the human's frozen stature and after having mentally cursed in surprise at the spectacle, followed the two beings into the bush.

ZiM's march wasn't all that hard to follow and Dib easily caught up with them. The bushes quickly ended as well and the three were forced to use the sidewalk. People bustled past without much of a care for what they thought were two children. This suited ZiM quite well, seeing as he was ready to kill anyone who tried to interfere.

Dib stayed a step behind the ZiM controlled Eleven, already being a part of this he didn't see the need to end this amazing discovery so quickly and decided to speak up, "You know… ZiM," the Irken stopped in mid-march and turned to gaze at the boy with squinted eyes; the boy gulped, not recognizing this side of ZiM at all, "th-there's a safe place for Eleven close by."

ZiM's eyes widened and his voice became low, "Where?"

Dib breathed calmly, "The forest. Lots of places to hide, good camouflage, especially in the summer and there are no large or small animals that could be of any danger."

The Irken mauled the idea over for a moment before speaking, "Did you have a particular place in mind? Or will it become a matter of searching for a place to hide in there once we arrive?"

Dib smiled nervously, "We would probably have to look for a place to hide, but with all the new growth from spring it shouldn't be too hard…"

ZiM's eyes were in a tight glare as he stared the human down, "Eleven pleas for your life, so I'll spare you and follow you to this forest," ZiM leaned in, "But the moment I see you try to pull something that may hurt the smeet or ZiM…"

Dib nodded, "I… get it," the human walked cautiously in front of ZiM to lead and they began the trek to the forest.

-

The forest was much bigger than ZiM could have imagined. Every step inside made the area around him and the human seem darker and more mysterious. ZiM put a hand on Dib's shoulder and they both stopped walking. The PAK detached from the young Irk's back and the hologram disappeared. Eleven blinked and rubbed his eyes, the glint off the blue orbs seeming to brighten the place up.

Dib gulped, "How… do you DO that?! And where did ZiM's body go?!"

Eleven yawned, "ZiM has to take a full ten minutes to reinstate control over my body back to me. Sometimes he doesn't take control at all and I just walk around with him on my back, but he's in charge mostly," the young Irk stretched as the PAK began to scan the area, "ZiM's body died a long time ago… in a hospital. I've been with him since we were trialed and sent to banishment."

ZiM's PAK hovered around, scanning the smallest movements, "Worked out well until that… HORRIBLE… Sizz-Lorr worm began hurting us. Had to get out of there… had to protect the smeet."

Dib stared at the floating PAK, amazed that this creature was able to feel compassion. Eleven followed the PAK, turning to look back ever so often to make sure Dib was there. The Pak suddenly stopped at what looked like a hole in a bush.

Dib approached the hole first and smiled, "It's a thicket. Sometimes deer or rabbits hide in them."

Eleven's eyes brightened and he smiled, "Bunnies…"

ZiM's PAK shoved itself in front to look inside, "ZiM goes first!!" and the PAK disappeared inside to thicket entrance.

Eleven giggled and turned to Dib, "He's checking for possible bad things…"

Dib stared at the smeet, "Does… does this mean that I've been fighting an Irken baby all this time?"

Eleven frowned, quite adorably, "I'm not a baby!! I'm twelve!!"

Dib rolled his eyes, "You sure sound like a baby."

Eleven pouted, "ZiM's says I'm just really innocent."

The human scoffed, "That's ZiM were talking about and he's insane. How is it that he can take care of an Irken smeet without a body anyway?"

A crunch coming from the thicket startled both children but Eleven smiled when he looked into the entrance, "That's how."

Dib turned and saw ZiM. Not the PAK, but actual ZiM, whose arms were folded in annoyance.

Eleven ran past ZiM and into the thicket, but Dib stayed behind to stare wide-eyed at ZiM.

ZiM waited until Eleven was safely inside before smirking, "Amazed at ZiM's ability to be so amazing?"

Dib glared, "Where'd you dig that body up from? Take a dip in an alien morgue?"

ZiM's form shuddered, like a hologram, "Not exactly. Eleven helped me greatly in assembling an interactive hologram so I can pick up objects and bring doom upon you world."

Eleven's head popped out from the thicket, "ZiM, no!! You can bring doominess on something else… like that tall guy who got Tak and Skoodge!! He's doomable."

ZiM turned around, "Silence!! It's past your bedtime!!"

Eleven rolled his eyes and hid back in the thicket.

Dib went to follow him, but the holographic ZiM stopped him, "Your work is done, Dib-meat. You can go home now."

The human glared at the hologram, "As much as I hate your species and you most of all, Eleven saved my life and is trying to stop you from taking over the Earth. You could say he's my favorite person… alien… right now."

ZiM growled, but dove into the thicket when he heard Eleven whimper. Dib took a deep breath and followed him in, sitting on a boulder that sat on the other side of where ZiM and Eleven were.

The hologram had set out to start covering the inner thicket with a plastic tarp-like blanket and he had already begun laying down a similar textile for the ground. ZiM was proofing the entire area.

Eleven scooted over next to Dib and sighed, "Sorry ZiM's like this… He just likes the feeling of being in control, especially now."

The smeet's eyes glittered as he turned to look at the human, "Why are you still here, though? I thought you would have left by now."

Dib shrugged and watched as the last of the moonlight was blocked out by ZiM's giant tarp, "I'm curious. Why are all these Irkens after you? And why did you let me go when you knew it would make ZiM mad?"

Eleven smiled when ZiM's PAK set out a special warming light, "I like playing games with you. Why would I kill someone I like?"

Dib blinked, "Games?"

The smeet nodded, "The chases, the fights… You've seen how ZiM really is. Do you really think he would have let you survive if I didn't intervene?"

Dib shook his head, enjoying the strange warm and glow from ZiM PAK's lamp, "Now that you mention it, no… what about the moose?"

Eleven sighed, "ZiM's way of getting rid of you without killing you," the smeet shook his head, "He says the last thing he needs is to have a crying smeet on his hands."

Dib's face slowly grew a smile, "So… you can keep ZiM from killing me?"

Eleven nodded, "But if you mess with ZiM on purpose, I won't be able to stop him. So you best watch yourself… I can only do so much."

ZiM sighed contently and lead the smeet from Dib's side, "All right you, time for recharging."

Eleven whimpered, "Do I have to?"

ZiM's PAK ejected a large blanket and the hologram wrapped it around the yawning smeet, "Yes, especially since you haven't rested in a few days. Smeets need sleep. Maybe when you're older ZiM will let you stay up for a month."

Dib tried to get comfortable on his rock but failed miserably and, even with the immense heat radiating from the lamp, shivered. ZiM saw the human's action and his PAK nearly threw an extra blanket at the cold human. Dib breathed in silently, knowing this wasn't an action ZiM took on his own.

The holographic Irken sat next to the smeet, eyes wandering when the smallest sound echoed throughout the forest. Dib saw the look of nervousness in ZiM's eyes. Holographic or not, the fear was there. Whether or not it was perceived fear or not, Dib decided to take the chance as he got comfortable under the blanket and closed his eyes.

--

**Another chapter. Hopefully this cleared a few things up… or it may have given you more questions. Either way, there will be another one soon.**


	10. Grooves of Time

**You're getting close to the middle of the story. Chapter holds a bit more information on Eleven and such. Enjoy…**

--

Dib only knew that he had awoken with a jerk and mentally cursed for having woken in such a way. Everyone was already on edge and now the boy was even more exhausted from his purge of adrenaline.

Eleven's wide eyes went from ZiM to Dib, "You're awake…"

The human boy yawned, stretching, "I guess," his gaze fell on ZiM, or at least the hologram, whose eyes were trained on the entrance to the thicket, "What's wrong with him?"

ZiM didn't respond, so the smeet did, "He's on edge. There were noises before so he stayed up."

Dib nodded absent-mindedly but jumped when he heard the snap of a twig, "I thought I was awake before but I sure am now."

Eleven turned to ZiM, who nodded at the gesture, and the smeet smiled as he dragged his tired body and blanket over next to the human boy. Dib decided to let the action go, seeing as this was a very young Irken and he never harmed him.

The smeet stared at the boy as ZiM got up to sit at the front of the thicket entrance, "Dib?"

Dib laid his head back and grunted in response, "Hm?"

Eleven smiled, "After this is all over do you want to go to get ice cream? ZiM doesn't like it, but I got use to the taste…"

Dib's head sprung up so he could stare at the Irken.

"Or maybe," Eleven thought, "we could go to the pier. ZiM says there are scary rides at the pier."

Dib coughed, "Do you think we're friends?"

Eleven nodded. In the smeet's mindset, he had only seen Dib as a playmate seeing as ZiM was more parental and GIR was insane. ZiM had never allowed the blue-eyed Irk to hear the mean words directed at them or see their fights as anything more than a very violent game.

Dib laughed slightly, carefully patting the smeet's shoulder, "Uh… look. It's not that I don't like you or anything… I mean I really appreciate you saving me and my planet, but…"

Eleven's eyes were wide with curiosity.

Dib sighed, "But we're not friends."

Eleven frowned, pondering this over, "Why?"

"Uh," the human boy took a long breath, "Well… you see, when someone tries to kill another person… and the person trying to kill happens to be two people… it's kind of hard for the person almost being killed to accept friendship from one of the people who almost killed him."

Eleven scratched his head, "You associated ZiM violent behavior with me?"

Dib thought this over, "Yes. I believe I have."

The smeet cocked his head, "Why?"

The human sighed, "Because you're one in the same."

Eleven was thoroughly confused, "But ZiM and I are two completely different people."

Dib rolled his eyes, "No kidding."

"So the only reason you're associating ZiM's behavior with me is because he took control of me and used my body against you?"

Dib nodded, "I guess that sums it up."

Eleven's antennae dropped, the lightning bolt ends resting against the smeet's back, "Oh…"

The human quickly saw his error, "Uh but that doesn't mean we can't try to be friends."

Eleven shook his head slowly, "I know what you're thinking," Dib gulped, "but I'm not like ZiM. I don't show revenge after rejection. If you say we're not friends, then we are not friends."

The smeet sulked but accepted his final verdict.

Dib scratched his head, then smiled, scooting closer to the Irken, "You really wouldn't have ZiM attack me?" the smeet shook his head; the boy sighed, "We can be friends then."

Eleven's eyes widened and he looked up to meet Dib's gaze, "Really?"

Dib shrugged and watched Eleven excitedly snuggle into his blankets, "I guess so. I was worried if I did something wrong, ZiM would get me. But so far, you've kept him at bay and you're really mellow, so there doesn't seem to be that much of a problem…"

Eleven covered his head excitedly with the blanket, so only the front of his head showed, "You're still a bit hesitant… I sense these things…"

Dib bit his lip, "I am…"

"Is it trust?"

The human nodded, "It very well could be."

Eleven frowned, "What do you want me to do to prove the trust?"

Dib silently laughed, "Trust is built over time."

"So?"

"So," Dib continued, "I'm not going to trust you all the way."

Eleven silently sighed, "So then what can I do now?"

Dib thought for a moment, "Tell me about some of the things you Irk are made of. You know… let me see your antennae at least."

Eleven giggled, "I wasn't made like the other Irkens. ZiM says I'm different. You'd be getting different info stuff."

Dib shrugged, "I'd be learning more about what you were made up of then."

Eleven mimicked the human's shrug, "O.K." the blanket around Eleven's head dropped and he wiggled his antennae at the human, "See?"

Dib frowned, "Can I… touch them?"

Eleven felt something in the pit of his spooch lurch from nervousness, but he responded, "O-O.K."

Dib went to reach forward, but stopped looking at the smeet, "I just want to see them. You never hurt me, so I'm not going to hurt you."

The blue-eyed Irk nodded and Dib's hand gently took one of the long stems and examined it, searching for any grooves or natural nicks in the appendage. The human boy looked down at Eleven's face to see his eyes in tears and his mouth tightly clenched.

He let go of the antenna, "Did I hurt you?"

Eleven shook his head and breathed in deeply as he wiped away the tears, "It tickled. Really bad. I don't want ZiM running in here, lasers blasting 'cause he thinks I'm being attacked."

Dib smiled, "Well that's good to know."

Eleven blinked and stood, letting the blanket fall down to his boots. Dib was able to observe the smeet's outfit then, which was completely different from what he could remember. But it could have been the adrenaline and shock that obscured his memory. The shirt Eleven wore had two cape ends that jutted out then up with a few lines going across the shirt and cape ends. He had dark gray pants and blue boots with a light blue buckle on each with yellow triangles on each side of the buckles. The ends of the boot's foot reminded Dib of Tak, seeing as they were steel-toed but the same blue as the buckles.

The outfit suited the smeet well.

ZiM came back inside the thicket and glared at the human, but removed the glare to look at Eleven, "It's still late," he murmured, "the both of you should go back to sleep."

Eleven sat back down into his blanket, "How late?"

ZiM tucked the smeet into his blanket, "A little past twelve. Now rest," his gaze fell on Dib, "You especially, Dib-human. Sleep now or ZiM will have to find… other means to induce your unconsciousness."

Eleven frowned cutely at the hologram, "ZiM, no!! He'll sleep, just let him be for now. O.K.?"

ZiM rolled his eyes and stationed himself next to Eleven again, waiting to listen for any foreign noises.

--

**Not much info, but alas this isn't the chapter that's going to spill everything. R&R and tell me what you think.**


	11. Negotiations

**Another chapter, no? This is going to cap some things about the war, so enjoy.**

--

"Transmission," said one of the COM units, "from the approaching ship."

Tallest Red's eyes widened, "Strange. Usually we're the ones hailing other suspicious ships."

Purple drank loudly from his soda, "Maybe they think we're suspicious?"

Red's eyes closed in thought, "Pick up the transmission so we can get this over with. And tell us immediately when you hear word from Tak and Skoodge."

The COM nodded and patched them through, the screen above them showing Lard-Nar's angry goggled face.

"Irken scum!!" he began, "We demand that you surrender in the name of the Resisty!!"

Purple began to cry as he tried not to laugh.

Red took the bait, "Surrender? HA!! You only have that messily ship!! It barely holds all the troops you've gathered!!"

Lard-Nar suppressed a growl. The Tallests were right. The ship they had managed to use to replace their old destroyed Vortian ship wasn't nearly as impressive. It was smaller, less destructive and, although it had lots of conveniently placed cup holders, had few bathrooms for the simpler beings that needed to use them.

The Resisty leader shook his head and pointed at the Tallests, "Never mind that!! If you won't surrender, then we will have to fight!!" his troops behind him began to scream uncontrollably; Lard-Nar stammered, "Er, we'll have to… surrender ourselves?" the screaming stopped and some idiot in the back cheered; Lard-Nar growled, "Quiet you!! Fine," he turned back to the Tallests, "I believe we will have to… negotiate."

Purple hovered forward, "What could you possibly have that we would want to negotiate for?"

Lard-Nar smiled, "My father was the original creator of the smeet you now seek," Purple dropped his soda, but Lard-Nar continued, "he's is Vortian property."

Red glared, "But he's Irken. How did your dad get Irken DNA to experiment with?!"

Lard-Nar sighed, his chair turning away from the Tallests, "My father took DNA from unused smeets, either still upon PAKed or defective once reaching the sorting room," Lard-Nar turned back to see the looks on the Irken's faces, "He managed to crack the Irken genome and created ten clones from his research."

Purple frowned, "There were eleven of them."

The Vortian rolled his eyes, "My father didn't make that one. Someone or something resembling an Irken broke into our facilities and made that one. We still don't know why, it could have been an accident for all we know…"

Tallest Red scratched his head, "So what exactly do you want to negotiate about?"

Lard-Nar glared hard at the Irkens, "Simple. The Resisty will neither help nor hinder the Irken Empire until the other two threats are eliminated. Our fight began a little while back and we had intended to finish where we started until those two idiots showed up."

The Tallests remembered back to a few months before when former Tallest Chi announced her rise up against the Empire as a group called the New Age, or the N.A. A few days before that, an Irken known as Reep had announced that he and his group, the Revolt Against Irk, or R.A.I., would be taking a stand against the Tallests. Everything seemed to have gone wrong that week.

Red nodded, "I can't believe I'm saying this… but I agree."

Purple hovered away from the screen, "But what of the smeet? Why bring him into this?"

Lard-Nar rolled his eyes, "You were monitoring the R.A.I.'s broadcasts. What do YOU think?!"

The Tallests said nothing.

The Vortian slapped himself in the face, "You two only went after ZiM because the R.A.I. did?!"

Purple rolled his eyes, "Well they said ZiM may have information about how to win this war. We didn't think… we didn't think it meant THAT!!"

"In all honesty," continued Red, "we had no idea that legend could even be involved with ZiM. We thought he might know a location as to where the smeet was."

Lard-Nar slammed a fist down, "That smeet is powerful. Powerful enough that his death could result in the obliteration of the universe itself!! He has to have means to defend himself, and THAT is why the R.A.I. are turning to him," the Vortian took a deep breath as he calmed down, "If Reep is trying to do what I think he's doing…"

He didn't need to finish. Everyone within the communications deck was silent.

Red turned away from the screen, "We get the point."

"I'll let you know right now," Lard-Nar said, his fists shaking, "my people have been monitoring Reep for a while now. He's sadistic, so the smeet will not cooperate, I'm sure. But if they find someone in which the smeet trusts or even cares for…"

Purple shook his head, "Manipulation."

"Precisely," Lard-Nar sighed, "I'll tell you this as well. If it comes to the point where the R.A.I. or the N.A. end up capturing that smeet… and someone they can use against him… neither the Resisty nor the Empire will be able to defeat them on their own."

Purple's antennae perked as he turned to face the Vortian, "So… what? We ban together?"

The Vortian slumped in his chair, "As much as it pains me to say it, yes. I'd rather fight alongside the slave drivers than become a slave to inexistence."

Red pondered this for a moment. Take over the universe after having helped the Resisty if the smeet becomes captured… or perish… and have no universe to rule over.

The red Tallest sighed, turning to look up at Lard-Nar, "If it should come to that… the Empire would be willing to fight to keep existence."

Purple's eyes widened, "We would?"

Red turned to him, glaring, "Yes, we would. Would you rather die and rule over nothingness?" he turned back to Lard-Nar, "If we must ban together, we'll find out how to work things out afterwards."

Lard-Nar nodded and cut his transmission. On radar, the ship began to turn and pass the Massive.

Red sighed and sat down on his chair, rubbing his temples, "What's going on, Pur?"

Purple sat in his own chair and watched his co-tallest, "We've just agreed to fight alongside the resistance against us if they get the smeet," he narrowed his eyes, "Are you feeling O.K.?"

Red laid his head back, "I'm not sure anymore. All I know… is that ZiM does have a connection with that smeet somehow."

Purple nodded and his antennae perked when a small beep echoed throughout the deck.

"Transmission," a COM answered, "from Earth. Officers Tak and Skoodge requesting permission for a word with their Tallests."

Both Tallests nodded and stood, viewing the beaten Irkens as they stood before them.

Purple gasped, "What… happened?"

Tak spoke, "There's… much to tell, my Tallests…"

Red hovered back and forth, hands crossed behind his back, "Start with where you are."

"Transmitting from ZiM's base. We found a spare screen to use."

Red nodded, "Good. Now, tell us what happened after the screen was broken."

Tak turned to Skoodge, "I need to treat this cut," she motioned to the scratch on her face, "do you mind?"

Skoodge shook his head and she left, "My Tallests," they nodded, so he continued, "ZiM attacked us with much force. I've never seen anything like it before, it was incredible. Tak and I managed to get to a higher level when we were attacked by an unknown Irken. He… he mentioned the R.A.I."

The Tallests seemed to pale.

"They're here," Skoodge went on, "they're already here, sirs."

Purple hovered closer to the screen, "What of the smeet?! Anything on him?!"

Skoodge smiled excitedly, "Yes!! He's safe we saw him!!"

Red's eyes widened, "Where is he?!"

The small Irken shook his head, "We don't know. But you're never going to believe this!! ZiM… he's dead!! Well…. He's been dead for a few years now but isn't that brilliant?!"

The Tallests looked confused.

"Do you remember," Skoodge explained, "after Impending Doom One was sabotaged, ZiM had to go to the hospital?" the Tallests nodded, so the Irken continued, "He got sick and they didn't know what was causing it. And then, a few weeks later, ZiM shows up, perfectly healthy, and is sentenced to exile?" the Tallests nodded again; Skoodge waved his arms, "That's it right there!! ZiM still had his PAK and they found a body in his hospital room that they thought was the smeet, but if it were we would be dead and-"

Purple's eyes boggled, "ZiM HAD A SMEET?!"

Red smacked the back of his head, "No, Pur. ZiM met the smeet and either gave him his PAK or the smeet took it from him," he turned away from his co-tallest but faced him again, "Pay attention."

Skoodge tapped the screen, "My Tallests? It looked to me like ZiM gave the smeet his PAK because he was definitely fighting to protect him. Maybe we can talk to ZiM and get him to bring the smeet with him. Talk him into a promotion or something."

Red shook his head, "No, that wouldn't work."  
Purple frowned, "And why, I say, why not?"

Red tapped his chin, "Because ZiM already knows we're after him."

Skoodge cleared his throat, "My Tallests? If I may," they turned to him, "I… I think we should trust ZiM on this. He's keeping the smeet out of the war completely. No side would be able to get him."

Purple hovered over to the screen, "Or better yet, the both of you need to try and talk to the smeet. Get the smeet to convince ZiM that he needs our protection…" Red glared at him; Purple giggled nervously, "Or not."

Red looked up at the short Irken, "If you find them, watch them, but do not engage. I want you to tell us everything you know about the both of them. If the R.A.I. or N.A. try to take them, attack the enemy and get ZiM and the smeet out of there. Those are your orders. And tell Tak," Tak's antennae went up and showed on screen, "Tak, we need you to apprehend ZiM. Wherever ZiM goes, the smeet is sure to follow."

Purple narrowed his eyes at Tak, "We mean it, Tak. If you screw this up you'll be deemed an enemy of the Empire."

Tak stood and saluted, "I promise, my Tallests, ZiM will be returned… alive."

--

**Hope you liked this. R&R if you don't mind.**


	12. Captured

**Things from here on out will become rather serious and suspenseful. If you can't handle it then your therapist will have to be paid another hour… I kid, but it WILL be more suspenseful…**

--

ZiM's posture was the first to change from relaxed to alert. Eleven was second, whimpering as he hid under his blanket. The hologram quickly turned off and hid the warming lamp as Dib hid with Eleven, trying to comfort the smeet.

Footsteps.

They belonged to someone or something big and their pace said that this person or thing was moving with a purpose. The footsteps stopped just a few yards from the entrance to the thicket and there was a soft cackle.

"ZiM," the voice called, "I know you're close…"

ZiM hugged the bundle that was Eleven and Dib, but said nothing. They were not going to take his smeet. Eleven was his to care for.

The footsteps moved around then stopped, "Come on now, ZiM," the voice called again, "did you think you'd be able to protect him forever? He's a weapon, nothing else. He's not even really Irken."

Eleven began to tear up as these things were said about him. ZiM had always told him that what he was designed didn't always mean that was his purpose, but these words stung with a passion. Dib could see Eleven's tears under what little light they had under the blanket and clutched the smeet's hand, squeezing it tightly.

The Irken outside kicked a rock into the thicket and then there was a loud ripping noise as he tore the thicket and the plastic covering. ZiM shielded the blanket bundle with his holographic body as the twigs and branches fell on top of them.

Dib's eyes pleaded with Eleven, the moonlight easing its way through the blanket seems, "Don't scream," he whispered, "ZiM's got this, just don't draw attention to us, O.K.?"

Eleven nodded slightly and curled up as much as possible.

The tall Irken began to step on the fallen thicket, ripping out branches and throwing them off to the side. It wasn't long before he came to the plastic covering ZiM used to blanket the walls of the thicket. The Irk smirked as he used his sharp claws to leisurely slice through the plastic.

ZiM's eyes moved back and forth rapidly as he began to think hard. This Irken would find them soon, and they had no distraction. ZiM could throw the Dib at the enemy and run away with Eleven, but if they managed to escape Eleven would never stop crying. The hologram glared at that plan and turned to look at the bundle.

The smeet… his responsibility.

ZiM sighed silently and let go of the bundle, preparing for an attack. The Irken's claws were just cutting through the plastic above the hologram when ZiM pounced.

The tall Irken was taken by surprise as the smaller Irken tackled him, sending the both of them backwards. Eleven moved to get up, but Dib held him down, shaking his head. The smeet whimpered silently as he heard the breaking of branches and growls of pain from both of the fighting Irkens.

ZiM glared the tall Irken down as he made for another frontal attack, but the other Irken just sneered and smacked the hologram back using a fallen branch. The small Irken found himself connecting painfully with a tree but as he tried to get up, ZiM's PAK sparked dangerously.

The tall Irken tsked as he threw the branch away and advanced on the fallen fighter, "ZiM," he said with disappointment, "I thought you would've been smarter than this. Now, I'll make you a deal," the Irken knelt down, "give me the location of the smeet before I count to three and I'll let you live. One."

Eleven began tear up, but Dib glared at him and held him down.

"Two."

ZiM took a deep breath, but refused to say anything, even when the tall Irken took out a high-grade, handheld firearm. Eleven looked at Dib with pain in his eyes, but the human would not allow the smeet up.

"Thr-"

The tall Irken stopped in mid-sentence as a rock connected with the back of his head. ZiM's eyes widened at the sudden interjection, but calmed considerably when he saw that the thrower was none other than the Dib.

The tall Irken's eyes tightened into a glare as he stood and pointed his weapon at the human.

Dib gulped then sighed, a sad smile on his face, "Yeah, I knew this was gonna happen…"

As the shot rippled through the air Eleven shivered as he sobbed, his eyes tightly shut. The tall Irken turned back to ZiM to finish what he saw as a pointless merry-go-round when he heard a sniff coming from behind him. When the Irken turned back, ZiM's eyes held defeat.

The tall Irken smiled triumphantly at the smeet who stood next to the human's fallen body, Eleven's eyes full of tears as he stared directly at his face.

The red-eyed Irk holstered his weapon and strolled swiftly towards the smeet, staring down at him, "Come to stop the bloodshed, have we?"

Eleven hiccupped, but said nothing.

The tall Irken knelt down to his level, "Nice to meet you, clone," he held out his hand, as though to be civil, "My name's Saint."

Eleven glared at the Irk, wiping away some of his tears, "Your name is contradicting."

Saint only smiled, "You know some very big words for a smeet. This is a good. It means you can decide for yourself. You see your friend over there?" he pointed to ZiM.

Eleven nodded.

Saint stood, "You can come quietly and save his life, or resist and before I chase you down, I'll shoot him in the PAK. Understand?"

Eleven turned away, not wanting to look at the monster that was making him choose.

Saint set a hand on his well-hidden, holstered weapon, "Either way," he sneered, "I'll catch you."

Eleven sniffed as he walked over to ZiM and hugged him, crying quietly. The hologram hugged him back but the action was brief. Saint came up behind the smeet and picked him up, holding him tightly against his chest as he started to walk from the scene having already over welcomed his stay. The last thing ZiM heard as his smeet was taken away was Eleven's soft sobs.

-

That was strange. Dib stood, a bit dizzy. The human yawned and stretched, feeling as though he had been asleep forever. Why had Eleven left with that tall Irken? He didn't look too happy about it.

Dib shook his head. ZiM had to be angry or at least concerned about it. _ZiM_. Dib's eyes widened. Where was he?

The human's eyes quickly scanned the area before spotting the PAK, no hologram, resting against a tree.

Dib ran over to the PAK's side, "ZiM?" he went to lift the PAK, but the hologram turned on.

ZiM eyes were closed, defeated, "Great," ZiM muttered to himself, "He takes Eleven… and now ZiM is broken beyond repair."

Dib scratched his head and stood.

ZiM giggled sadly, "ZiM is hearing the dead Dib-human's voice…"

Dib's eyes widened. Dead? Flashes of what had happened a few minutes before played in his mind. He threw the rock… that Irken was mad… creepy gun…

Dib backed up, staring at his ghost white hands, and tripped over his dead body. The ghost screamed and ZiM snapped his eyes open to scream at the ghost Dib.

The two stared at each other.

Dib's panicking eyes landed on the Irken, "Fix this!!"

ZiM glared, "How?! You're dead!!"

Dib gulped and examined the single shot through his head, "Well… I haven't dissipated yet…" he laughed nervously, "I very well may have been brought back from the dead to do something."

ZiM attempted to stand, but his PAK sparked again, "Yeah, you are here to take ZiM back to his labs so that he can be fixed and go after Eleven."

Dib shrugged as he stood, "I think I can live with that as long as I get to help."

The hologram glared at the ghost boy, "You? HELP?! Never!!"

"Why not?"

ZiM closed his eyes angrily, "Because Eleven, you-" he stopped.

The Dib reminded him of his responsibility. His smeet.

ZiM sighed, "Fine. But you can't get in my way… Why do you want to help, Dib?"

Dib smiled, "I'm a ghost, it's summer and this could possibly be the biggest thing to happen in the history of the universe. What kind of group would rely on a smeet for power unless he was super powerful?"

ZiM's hologram shivered, "Fine, fine. I'm going to turn off my hologram and you are going to carry ZiM back to the base."

Dib coughed, "What about my body?"

The hologram disappeared and the PAK released what looked like a pen connected to a robotic tentacle. The pen shot out a beam that first cut the body into cubes, then absorbed them.

"Hey!!" Dib exclaimed, "My body!! What-"

"Fear not human!!" the PAK replied, absorbing the last few cubes, "I've digitized it. When we meet up with Eleven later, he can revive it and put you back into your own body."

Dib picked the PAK up, surprised, "He can do that?"

The PAK beeped, "Yes, he's quite powerful. He revived countless test subject for me usually a couple times before I told him to just let them die."

Dib rested the PAK under his arm, "Huh…"

And so began their unsaid pact.

--

**There you go. Not quite dead, is he? But will Eleven be able to fix it?**


	13. Preparations

**Wow… with this many reviews I'm going to have to write faster. BTW!! If you would like to see some of the characters already mentioned in the story (Eleven, Chi, Reep, Saint), look me up on deviantart. You should be able to find them rather easily. ;)**

--

The walk back to the base haunted ZiM. Not only was he under the arm of the being he had hated for a long time, but his smeet… his Eleven… was gone. It hurt, but he was the last person who was going to show his emotion to this pathetic excuse for a ghost.

"You're not even scary!!" ZiM challenged, "ZiM is supposed to be afraid of you?!"

Dib shifted the PAK roughly, "Watch it, ZiM. I am the one carrying you."

The ghost sighed, shaking his head as he peered out from behind a house on ZiM's block, "It's really strange, ZiM," the PAK beeped, but said nothing, "Eleven acts as though you're the greatest thing ever birthed, but you're still just the same. I'm surprised you didn't take advantage of him and use him to take over the universe yourself."

The PAK beeped, "… So am I…"

Dib blinked, scoffed as he shook his head and waited for a car to pass by before running across the street to ZiM's house. The ghost jumped behind the fence and rested, surprised that he still felt tired and stressed. Then again… these were the feelings he died with.

The PAK wiggled in his hands, "Get me in the house NOW, Dib-ghost, or ZiM will delete your body!!"

Dib rolled his eyes and laughed slightly, standing, "As weird as this sounds, I'm glad you haven't changed all that much, ZiM."

ZiM let out a brief 'HA' and remotely opened the front door, entering with the help of the ghost. Dib felt the PAK float away from his grasp, so he allowed ZiM to do as he pleased as the ghost shut the door quietly.

A few tubes from the ceiling quickly attached to ZiM and began giving him much needed energy as Dib began surveying the area nervously, "ZiM," he mumbled quietly, "do you think Tak and Skoodge are still here?"

ZiM hologram reappeared, with a relieved sigh, "No," he paused as he looked around, "the computer informs ZiM that they left a few minutes ago."

The ghost nodded, calming himself down, "Good… O.K… What do you want to do now?"

The hologram glared at nothing, "Computer. Ship bay."

An elevator sprung up from the middle of the floor and the tentacles released ZiM's PAK, finished with the repairs they were able to give. The PAK's nanites would have to finish the rest of the repairs.

The Irken stood proudly and motioned for the Dib-ghost to follow, who rushed inside the elevator before the hologram did and excitedly watched the levels pass by as they went down. It felt like seconds before they arrived at the ship bay, two ships resting quietly as they waited for someone to drive them.

Dib was excited, anyone seeing him would vouch for that, but he quickly clamed down when ZiM stomped off the elevator and began to set to work.

"Computer," the hologram began as he lifted a welding tool, "I need you to pack up a few weapons into the Voot. I'm going to be performing some upgrades," he lifted a helmet and set it over his eyes, lighting the torch, "If and when you find GIR," he began to cut open the Voot's laser cannon, "keep him occupied. If he disturbs me even once, I'll replace you."

The computer beeped in response.

Dib tapped his fingers in a bored tone before sighing, "So… ZiM… what do you want me to do?"

ZiM had cut through the first weapon and was carefully pulling out laser ends and wires, "Dib, does it look as though ZiM can give you a job right now?"

Dib stared sadly, "Well, no… but-"

"No buts," ZiM said quickly, cutting the ghost off, "ZiM is busy… But you can put the weapons in the back of the Voot. The computer's robotic arms can't reach that far."

Dib nodded and went to the back of the ship watching as the trunk of the little ship opened. The computer began setting guns and lasers of all shapes and colors onto a small metal table, its sensors unable to pick up Dib on the screen. The ghost then moved the weapons over to the Voot's trunk and stacked them carefully, afraid that laser fire would attract ZiM's attention and then somehow result in his demise.

The hologram was already hard at work cutting open the Voot's second laser cannon to enhance their power and range. Dib watched as the computer's robotic arm set down the last weapon ZiM would need and disappeared back up into the ceiling. The job was done as quickly as it was handed off.

The ghost sighed and went back to the front of the little ship, watching ZiM finish reattaching the cover to the Voot's laser cannons. The upgrades didn't take as much time as Dib thought they would, but then ZiM was in a rush. He probably would have left sooner as well if the computer hadn't beeped in warning.

"Master," it began, "GIR is heading in your direction with a mass of… furry things…."

The elevator beeped and the doors opened releasing a stampede of hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs. ZiM hollered in anger and Dib jumped behind the angered hologram as GIR rode in on a very angry and tired looking rabbit.

"Ride, bunny, ride," he cheered, "round up the herd back to the ranch!!"

ZiM growled lowly, "GIR!! What on IRK are you doing?!"

The robot smiled at his master, "I'm a cow-GIR!!"

The furious hologram didn't need to say anything. The computer began herding the mass of fuzzy rodents into boxes and began sending the boxes to higher levels. ZiM sat heavily on a small stool, resting his face in his hands as he tried to stay calm. Dib gulped as he watched his nemesis, worried that the strain of all the sudden events was starting to drain the Irk. The ghost wasn't worried for the hologram, but for his sanity seeing as Eleven only had this defective PAK, just as Dib had a distant father and a demon for a sister.

The ghost approached ZiM slowly after the last of the rodents had been removed and GIR had been taken away with them, "ZiM?" he rested a white hand on the Irk's shoulder, "Are you… O.K.?"

ZiM said nothing at first. There was a deep, resonating silence in the ship bay that scared Dib more than anything at the moment.

"O.K.?" ZiM finally growled, "Am I O.K.?"

The Irk began laughing, hard, his cackle echoing off the walls and finding their way up through the base. Dib backed away as ZiM stood, facing him.

"O.K.?!" the hologram held a scary smile, "Do I LOOK O.K., human?!"

The computer beeped as it shut itself down, not recognizing this kind of anger in its master.

"In case you haven't noticed," the laughing ZiM managed, "I am a useless PAK without a body," the ghost backed up as ZiM advanced, "I live with an insane robot and a computer who barely passes as functional," Dib had dumbly backed into the ship and was now trapped, "and the one thing, the one person ZiM was able to protect and be content with all this time has been kidnapped to be experimented on and then used to kill millions!! So tell me human, am I O.K.?!"

Dib gulped fearing that the wrong answer would end badly for a lot of people. ZiM took his silence as insolence and kicked a tray of power tools across the room, where they collided hard with the opposing wall, scattering across the floor with loud clangs and bangs. Dib jumped out of fear and watched ZiM climb into the Voot, starting it up.

The ghost stood there, dumbfounded, before turning to glare at the hologram, "Yeah, your life sucks."

ZiM stopped punching in commands to slowly gaze at the human, "… What?"

Dib took a deep breath, "You heard me. Everything that could have gone wrong in your life has and now the one thing, the one person that you could talk to to distance yourself from all that and make yourself feel important is gone," Dib smiled, "Hey, look at the Brightside. I died saving you for Eleven. I died for nothing because now you're going to go after him with these thought in your head," Dib climbed up the side of the ship, but didn't get in, "Do you really want Eleven to see you so angry? Or do you think he wants to see you as a calm person coming to save him from a fate worse than death?"

ZiM looked back at his controls and said nothing.

The ghost rolled his eyes, "Scoot over, you're not leaving without me."

The Irk obliged and as the Voot's top came down and they lifted off, he quickly muttered a 'thanks'. Dib pretended not to hear the word seeing as ZiM's ego and sanity were already both heavily damaged. Getting that smeet back into the Irk's care would not only be good for the hologram. It would be good for everyone else in the universe.

--

**I have to stop writing so late. R&R and tell me what you thought.**


	14. The Frail

**Another chapter for my readers, no? It's going to get a bit darker. I'll be sure to warn you before each chapter to tell you which one is going to have you angry with me. Be sure to check the bold lettering or you'll be surprised.**

--

He wasn't being treated badly, that was for damned sure. Eleven was safe. He wasn't to be harmed under any conditions. Those were the orders. Anyone disobeying them would be disemboweled and thrown out into the vacuum of space.

Eleven wiped tears from his face as he sniffed. Everything was moving so quickly. One moment Dib was risking his life for ZiM's sake and the next…

The smeet coughed out a sob and curled up into himself, wishing he had some sort of guidance. It was unfortunate that the beings who created him were about as helpful as a broken toaster oven. So the smeet whimpered in the corner of the room they had put him in, refusing to play with the toys they had left or even rest in the bed they had provided. They weren't hurting him physically, but his heart ached with a pain never felt before…

- **Earlier…**

Saint's ship was most likely used to drop off soldiers on a battlefield before the Irk got a hold of it. At least, that was what the smeet was able to deduce from the many lined seats in the back.

Eleven glared at the back of Saint's head seeing as he was strapped down to a chair right behind the scarred Irken. Ever so often Saint's head would shift just enough so that his long antennae were right in front of the smeet's face. When the chance came up, Eleven would snap angrily at the appendage hoping to make the Irk in front of him jump out of pain, but his teeth were never able to catch the target.

The smeet wasn't at all focused on the outer world around him. The ship he was sitting in was fast, so clearing the atmosphere of the Earth took no more than a minute. Obviously Eleven wasn't going to be staying in a little ship like this and Saint's quickly docked with a larger vessel, gray, round with five large engines in the back and what appeared to be thousands of square lights all around it, perhaps the windows to rooms. This in turn may have taken another few minutes, with the hassle of clearance and proving one's identity.

Saint tried not to curse loud enough for the smeet behind him to hear. It wouldn't have mattered, though, seeing as Eleven was much too preoccupied with biting the older Irken's antennae. Through anger or disgust, the smeet couldn't remember. All he wanted to do was make this Irk suffer, even if it was only for an instance.

The landing of the ship was what had the blue-eyed Irk jolt from his trance. He was able to peek out from behind Saint's seat and see that they had prepared for his arrival. Officers were lined up in rows, each rigid and unmoving. Three Irkens were closer to the ship than the lined officers.

Eleven gulped as he examined each. The shortest of them looked like he was in charge, with dark purple eyes, outfit and shoulder armor that rested on his right shoulder. He was much taller than Eleven, but definitely shorter than Saint.

The other two looked about the same height, one dressed in white and red with shiny magenta eyes. He had a matching white and red helmet with a unique 'plus' sign on it. His boots were a dull red and his pants and gloves a very light gray. Eleven's eyes narrowed. He had to be a medic.

The last Irk was looking all over the place with his bright purple eyes, not really paying attention to the task at hand. He wore a gray and red helmet with a pink visor covering the front of his face. His outfit was a similar make to the medic's, but was a teal and red color. Very bold. His boots, pants and gloves were a medium gray. He also sported a belt, just as the other two Irkens did.

Eleven decided immediately that he didn't like any of them.

The top to Saint's ship opened and the short, purple Irken stepped forward, looking proud, "Ah, Saint," he neared the entrance, "I'm assuming your search was productive."

Saint smiled back, "Yes Reep, I've got him," the tall Irken leaned back to stand and the smeet's eyes widened.

The antennae.

Saint moved to get up when he suddenly started yelling. The lined up Irkens jumped out of surprise and began murmuring. The spaced out Irken snapped out of his trance and jumped onto the medic, screaming loudly.

Saint bit his lip as he tried to reach behind him, "HE'S BITING MY ANTEANNA!!"

Reep sighed and reached behind the tall Irken, unstrapping and lifting Eleven from his seat, the little monster's teeth refusing to let Saint's antennae free. The medic rolled his eyes and shoved the other Irk, running over to assist Reep and Saint. The magenta-eyed Irk gently applied pressure between the smeet's eyes and the little Irk let go, growling.

Saint tripped out of his ship as Eleven pointed and glared, "Multiply that by a billion!!"

The scarred Irk gently touched his antenna, "What?"

Eleven glared harder, "That pain on your antenna. Multiply that pain by a billion and then put that pain in your chest and THAT'S WHAT YOU DID TO ME!!"

The smeet tried to scratch Saint, reaching out as far as possible, but Reep held him firm, "What exactly happened down there, Saint?"

The medic helped the tall Irk up, "I had one casualty…"

Reep's eyes widened slightly but he said nothing, Saint continuing, "A human. I was about to take out ZiM, when he… he uh…"

Saint rubbed the back of his head nervously, so Eleven spoke up, "He hit him with a rock so Saint shot him!!"

The spacey Irken stood, staring with wide eyes at Eleven. The medic nudged the Irken, but his eyes were firmly planted on the smeet.

Reep turned to see the purple-eyed Irk staring and sighed, "Eleven, you already know Saint," he turned the smeet to face the other two Irks, "the one in white is Felm. He's our medic."

Felm smiled a small smile, "Hel-"

Eleven growled lowly so Felm stopped talking, his eyes wide.

Reep chuckled, "And this Irk presently staring at you is Jeb. He commands under my purview."

Jeb raised his hand, waving it around widely.

The short Irk sighed, "Unfortunately, he acts like a smeet. Yes, Jeb?"

Jeb smiled, "You said I could hold him. Can I hold him?"

Reep carefully handed the smeet over to Jeb who hugged him gently, squealing happily.

The R.A.I. leader turned to Saint, "Felm. Take Jeb and Eleven somewhere and keep them occupied. Saint and I have to discuss things."

The medic nodded and led the two out of the docking bay, the rest of the officers dispersing and going back to their jobs.

-

Felm rubbed his temples and sat back in his office chair as Jeb and Eleven flicked cotton balls at him using popsicle sticks.

The doctor sat up straight, "Do you mind?" he stood and walked over to a counter holding some files.

Jeb and Eleven looked at each other and began flicking more cotton balls at the unfortunate medic.

Felm growled and slammed a file down, startling both childish Irks, "I'm trying to get some work done. Find something else to do!!"

Jeb's eyes watered, not recognizing Felm's raised voice, but Eleven jumped down from the examination table in the middle of the room, "You're the enemy!!"

Felm sighed, "And yet, so is Jeb. But I find that you are not flicking my once sterilized cotton swabs at him, now are you?"

Eleven's eyes wavered, his hands in tight fists, "He's not the one going to experiment on me…"

The medic dropped his file on the counter and stared at the smeet, whose eyes were now watering, "What?" Eleven shrunk back as Felm knelt to his level, "No. No, Eleven I'm not going to experiment on you. That's not my job," he carefully lifted the smeet and set him in the counter, "I'm not like Reep. Neither is Jeb. And, as hard as this may be for you," Felm laughed slightly, "neither is Saint. I know this is an incredibly new ordeal for you, but not everyone here is a monster-"

"Cooking."

Both Irks turned to Jeb, who was fingering a cotton ball, "I wanted to go into cooking, but then Reep came along holding my test scores… he said that while my immaturity level was really high, my battle strategies and use of any kind of ship was exceptional, whatever that means."

Felm blinked, "It means you are very smart, but very child-like."

Jeb smiled, laughing, "Oh… well anyways, he ended up getting me here. I always sneak into the kitchens when I can just so I can cook stuff… I just wish I didn't have to sneak in there to do it."

Jeb shrugged and swung his feet over the floor from where he sat on the examination table.

Felm smiled and closed his eyes, "I had just finished medical schooling when Reep found me," Eleven looked at the medic's face, watching his expression change, "He told me… that the Massive needed another medic and that he could get me in. Reep never told me he was a part of the R.A.I." Felm sighed, "I may as well have been kidnapped."

Jeb stared sadly, "At least you get to do what you love."

Felm shook his head and reorganized the file he had dropped, Eleven's little hands handing him papers, "I very much dislike treating you people, Jeb. You're noisy, picky, always asking what I'm doing with what instrument…"

Jeb pouted and put his hands on his hips, "Well that weird scanner thingy looked really suspicious!! I needed to know!!"

Felm laughed and set the file away, "It was just monitoring your heart," the medic turned around and leaned on the counter allowing Eleven to rest his head on his arm; Felm patted his head, "You have nothing to fear while you're here, Eleven. I promise I won't-" Jeb squealed angrily; Felm giggled, "_we_ won't let anything happen to you."

Eleven sighed contently. These weren't bad people. They were just manipulated. The smeet looked up at the medic before hugging his arm and nuzzling his face in it. Felm smiled and gently patted the smeet's head.

It would have stayed serene had Reep not busted through the door, a dangerous look in his eyes, "FELM!! What on IRK is that smeet doing in here?! And you!!" he pointed to Jeb, "Get your butt BACK on deck!!"

Eleven clung to Felm's arm fearfully as Reep stormed out and a simple drone walked in taking the smeet roughly by the arm.

Felm followed the two out while Jeb sat there, still in shock, "Be gentle!!" the medic called after them, "He's just a smeet!!"

The drone either didn't hear him or ignored him as he dragged Eleven down a few halls to a dark, quiet room forcefully shoving him in and then locking the door behind him. The smeet whimpered then growled as he took off his glove and pulled up his sleeve to inspect the bruises. He watched the lightly darkened skin heal before his eyes, something that would have taken a normal Irk a few days to accomplish. Eleven sighed and pulled his sleeve down, inspecting the room as he put his glove back on.

They expected him to be happy in here. While the room was dark, the smeet could plainly see a toy box, a bed and a nightstand with a lamp on it. He rushed over to turn on the lamp, but it only worsened the situation, causing shadows to form on the walls. Eleven cringed, but left the lamp on and went to go and sit in a corner letting the events of this long day sink in.

Dib was dead, and most likely, so was ZiM. He was being held captive. When he thought that he was going to at least be safe, he was yelled at and then thrown into a dark and scary room. Eleven wiped the tears away, trying to think of something ZiM would say. But even trying to imagine the Irk's voice only made things harder.

--

**Hey, this one's longer than the rest of the chapters!! R&R cause I want to hear what you have to say about the R.A.I.'s group of Irkens.**


	15. Infiltration

**Right… I got bored and decided to write another chapter. Remember: If you'd like to see what the characters look like, look up ****megadoomingir**** on deviantart.**

--

They had spent nearly an hour together in the Voot. ZiM's hologram visibly showed annoyance as Dib marveled at everything. Every star was something to gawk at, every speck was a new world, every ship was to be checked for Eleven's being.

ZiM homed in on a large, gray and round ship, its docking bay open wide to the universe and glared at a small monitor when a bored looking screen drone yawned, "O.K., do you… sir, have proper authorization to enter… the ship?"

ZiM growled, "ZiM IS- I mean… _I_ am perfectly authorized to be on this ship!!"

The drone sighed, "O.K., the R.A.I. will need you to take a ticket at the window and park in the designated spot. Be sure to… get some coffee for yourself… while you still can…"

ZiM shook his head as the screen drone dozed off. He must not have had any sleep in months.

Dib giggled, "That was pretty weird, huh?"

ZiM rolled his eyes at the human as the transmission on the screen cut, "Not exactly. War is tiresome!! And not for smeets to be in!!"

Dib looked away from ZiM and smiled, "I wish my dad was at least as half as caring as you are…"

ZiM's eyes widened and he turned to look at the ghost, "Whuh?"

The ghost shook his head, "My dad hardly remembers my name and more than not, that he even has a son and a daughter. If he were as half as caring as you are, I probably wouldn't be dead right now…"

ZiM shifted in his seat uncomfortably trying to look ahead instead of at Dib, "You're insane you know."

Dib laughed slightly, "I know."

The Voot sped forward and into the docking bay where it zoomed up to a ticket counter and ZiM made the stupid move leaning out of the ship and grabbing the ticket whilst driving past it. The hologram looked at the ticket, looking at the number he got, while Dib started shouting for ZiM to look where he was driving. The Voot nearly hit a large cargo ship, but ZiM's hand that was still on the wheel turned to make a sharp right, slamming Dib's ghostly form into the side of his ship.

ZiM made another sharp turn, this time to the left and had the Voot duck under another long ship, the ghost screaming bloody murder until ZiM suddenly stopped, throwing the ghost into the windshield. Dib groaned as he pulled himself back and ZiM set down the Voot carefully.

Dib glared angrily, "Where'd YOU learn how to drive."

ZiM shrugged, folding the ticket in half and ripping it, "At the academy," he left half with the Voot, jumping out, "you learn to drive really quickly. You can't drive, you don't move up into the next level."

Dib still held his glare, but carefully climbed out, watching the ships above them fly about orderly, "Fine… what's our number?"

ZiM's eyes narrowed, "What do you mean 'our' number?"

The ghost's eyes twitched, "You KNOW what I mean!! Geez, is this too much of a hassle just to live again?!"

ZiM huffed, "It's seven eight three eight. Got that?"

Dib sighed, walking up to ZiM, "Look ZiM. We're here for Eleven and Eleven only, O.K.? Don't you want to resume your responsibilities protecting the important smeet?"

The hologram glared, "What am I an infant?! Let's move!!"  
ZiM began a proud march towards an exit. Dib sighed and ran after him. The exit led the two to an information desk.

A green-eyed Irken glanced down at them from his high desk, "Do you need help finding anything?"

ZiM puffed out his chest, "YES!! ZiM requires the location of-"

Dib slapped a hand over the hologram's mouth and dragged the angered Irken off to the side. Before ZiM could protest, the ghost pointed at an oncoming Irken who would have instantly spotted them. Saint.

Dib and ZiM peeked out from behind the desk, when Dib suddenly smiled, "Hey, can you scan other beings and make a hologram of them?"

ZiM sneered, "But of course."

Saint looked drained and cupped his hands in his face, leaning his elbows on the counter, "Coffee. Now."

The Irken stared at him, "Sir?"

Saint pulled out a gun and had it at the drone's head within seconds, "Tell me where the coffee is, or I'm going to kill you."

The drone whimpered, "Uh, yes… Coffee is just down that hall to the left. They should be brewing a fresh batch any minute now."

The drone coward away as Saint put his gun back in its holster and staggered off, not noticing his form being scanned by ZiM's PAK as he passed them. ZiM giggled excitedly and Dib with him but they soon hushed and waited for the tired Irken to pass them. There was a lot of traffic going through the hallways, but no one noticed a lone PAK hover up and create a hologram of the disgruntled Saint.

ZiM, or rather, Saint looked down at Dib and giggled quietly, already knowing what was going to happen.

The hologram strutted up to the information desk, banging a fist down on the counter. The green-eyed Irken stared up from their computer screen and began to tear up.

ZiM-Saint glared down at the drone, "They didn't have anymore coffee," the drone gulped, not even clear headed enough to notice the difference in this person's voice.

"I-I…"

ZiM-Saint narrowed his eyes, "I suggest that you do me a big favor if you do not want to be crushed by THE ZiM HANDS OF-" Dib nudged the hologram, "Er… the BIG HANDS OF MY FIST!!"

The drone coward, "Anything!! I'm too pretty to die!!"

ZiM-Saint pursed his lips in satisfaction, "I need to know where they're keeping the blue-eyed smeet. Tell me now, or I'll kill you… painfully."

The green-eyed drone quickly typed in what was asked, "H-he's on floor twenty-eight room thirty-nine, now please!! Let me live!!"

ZiM-Saint laughed evilly, "Next time I won't be as nice."

The drone clenched his eyes shut and balled up on his chair, shivering. ZiM deactivated the hologram and reinstated his old one, laughing evilly as he and Dib entered an elevator and headed up.

The real Saint came back through from the coffee room with a large cup of the bitter liquid and a much more placid face.

He spotted the information drone and wandered up to the desk, "Hey, sorry about earlier. You know how war is. It just-"

The green-eyed Irken's eyes shot open, "I'VE GIVEN YOU WHAT YOU WANTED!! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!"

Saint raised an invisible brow, then smiled, "Am I really that traumatizing?"

He took another sip from his coffee with satisfaction.

--

**Kay, I laughed hard thinking up parts for this chapter. And what's weird is I can see this as a movie or somethin'. Oo The part with Saint just made it click. R&R, don't be shy!!**


	16. Resurrection

**I'm glad my readers are enjoying this so much. I know a lot of new characters are showing up so, again, if you'd like to see what they look like, check out my gallery on deviantart. The name is still megadoomingir and I have pictures of the R.A.I., N.A., all the clones and Eleven.**

--

As soon as the elevator doors opened on the twenty-eighth floor, ZiM somersaulted out, inspecting the area. It was clear of any R.A.I. personnel and the hologram was soon joined by the human ghost.

Dib shivered, "Ugh… bad things have happened on this floor…" he gulped as ZiM gave him a concerned glare, "Really bad things…"

ZiM looked the human over, "Hmm… From what I was able to gather, you are still affected by physical events. Maybe you are sensing the…" ZiM grumbled, not finishing his sentence.

Dib raised a brow, "The spiritual?"

The hologram examined the number on the closest door, "Possibly. If you can sense them, you may be able to single ones out. Wouldn't that be fun?"

Dib rubbed his ghostly arms, "Not really… I don't think I'm actually feeling spirits, ZiM," they began walking down the hall, "it feels more like emotions. Like anger and fear."

The hologram stopped in front of room nine, turning back to look at the ghost, "Fear?"

Dib nodded, "It's just down the hall and it's really strong, so it must be recent or happening now," ZiM began running down the hallway; Dib tried running alongside him, but ended up falling behind, "They're also really depressed," he managed to call out before he lost sight of the hologram.

-

Eleven shivered, the room he was put in growing cold. He knew this had to be his doing. His emotions were making him suffer. The smeet took a deep, shaky breath and tried to calm down, his butt falling asleep from being on the floor so long. He refused to sleep in the bed and he was going to keep that unsaid promise to himself.

Eleven had made plans not to eat what they gave him, sleep where they put him or play with what they provided him. He was to do nothing even if it meant having to see Felm on a more official level.

The smeet tilted his head back and allowed it to rest on a wall, a trick he had picked up from watching ZiM when he was angry. The smeet almost choked on a sob, but he pushed his feelings back down, lest the room get colder. He could already hear ice begin to form on various objects in the room, the light cracking noise alerting him to the danger he was putting himself in.

Eleven looked up to see nearly half the room encased in ice and put his head back again, his breathing ways opening wider as he did so and began to pretend that ZiM was tucking him in to bed, telling him that he was to listen or the smeet would be attacked in the middle of the night by waves of catnip. He never understood ZiM completely. Eleven knew, however, when ZiM was being serious or sarcastic, so it was no wonder the smeet giggled loudly at ZiM's joke.

Eleven smiled and heard the ice begin to crack as it receded, his emotions beginning to balance themselves out.

He took another shaky breath, and sniffed, "I really miss you, ZiM," the smeet curled up, rubbing his arms as the room warmed, "I do…"

There was a screeching halt outside Eleven's door and the person outside sounded rather victorious.

"HA!! Number thirty-nine!!" they banged on the door, "Eleven?!"

The smeet stood, cautiously approaching the door, "ZiM?"

ZiM sighed, a hand on his chest as he leaned back on the door, "Yes, smeet, it is ZiM," the hologram stared at the handle to the door, "I'm assuming the door's locked."

Eleven nodded, "Yeah," he rushed to the door, "yeah, it is."

Dib panted as he finally reached ZiM, but the Irken ignored him, "O.K., ZiM wants you to stand back, very far back, so far back that-"

"ZiM," Eleven giggled, tears forming in his eyes, "I get it!! Go back!!"

ZiM waited a few moments as the blue-eyed Irk stayed clear of the door, then kicked it open, the door smacking hard against the opposing wall. The smeet squeaked in surprise, looking up to see ZiM enter the room triumphantly, the hologram's hands on his hips, looking like a superhero.

Eleven couldn't move. While he knew his eyes were working, his mind hadn't yet grasped the fact that ZiM was as alive as he looked.

The hologram knelt next to the smeet, "Did they hurt you?"

Eleven wiped the tears from his eyes, "No, ZiM… I… I just thought you were…"

ZiM smirked, "Nothing can kill ZiM," his arms went up into the air, "NOTHING!!"

Eleven giggled, hugging the Irk, "I know…"

ZiM and Eleven turned around when they heard harsh gasping and watched the ghost-Dib crawl from the hallway in to the room.

ZiM laughed, "HA!! You suck."

The ghost kicked the door closed, the lock broken from ZiM's kick, "You're too fast," he panted, "I told you to slow down."

The hologram rolled his eyes and picked up Eleven, setting him on the bed, "You need more exercise!! ZiM makes Eleven chase GIR and vice versa. Maybe you should chase something."

Eleven shook his head, "It's not the running, ZiM. He's running low on energy and since he's bound to this world by his own subconscious need to stay, it'll get to the point where he won't even be able to move."

ZiM giggled at the smeet and pinched his cheeks, "It's adorable when you make lengthy explanations."

Eleven frowned cutely, but turned to Dib, sighing, "If we had your body, I'd be able to fix you-"

Dib laughed, rolling onto his back, "Yeah, ZiM's got it."

Eleven's eyes widened, and he turned back to ZiM, "Ew!!"

The hologram waved a hand at him, "Don't be such a smeet, I digitized it."

The same pen tentacle slipped out of ZiM's PAK and threw the digitized cubes in order, landing the body gently on the ground. Its trench coat was smudged with a bit of mud, but other than that and the wound, was clean. The smell hadn't begun to waft from the body, but already, Eleven grimaced, his senses being much more acute.

Dib looked at the smeet, "So… can you bring me back?"

Eleven shook his head, looking down onto his lap, "I… I don't know. I've never had to heal a human before. I usually resurrected guinea pigs but I had practice with that… I also have a lot of understanding of the Irken body, so I know what things go where… but I've never seen the human body."

ZiM's antennae perked as he put away the pen tentacle, "Well, you're going to have to make a decision quickly. The elevator just stopped on this floor."

Eleven gulped, "O-O.K."

Dib smiled and sighed, inching closer to his body, "All right how does this work."

The smeet jumped down from the bed, "I have to take the wound you got."

As the words sunk in, Dib realized what Eleven would be doing and before he could protest, he and his body were engulfed in a beautiful blue and white flame. The ghost reached out to touch it and felt his ghostly form warm up. The flames got closer and closer until Dib and his body were engulfed. The flames disappeared with a small shower of sparks and Eleven fell to the floor, trying not to cry as he bled from the hole in his head.

ZiM set a hand on the smeet's back and smiled when he saw the wound close up within seconds, "You were very brave to do that, Eleven. ZiM on the other hand would have let Dib become nothing."

The smeet smiled and used the bed sheets to wipe off what little blood has accumulated onto his forehead, "You brought him here to make me happy."

ZiM smiled, "Why wouldn't I?"

Eleven smiled back hugging ZiM a second time.

"Hey, Eleven?" Dib said gently as he stood, "My vision is blurry."

He looked at the two Irkens and Eleven slowly started giggling. ZiM bit into his forefinger to keep from smiling, but it didn't help much.

Dib glared, "O.K., what did you do? Is my nose in the middle of my forehead?"

ZiM snickered, "Oh contraire. It's more like you have no nose at all."

Dib's eyes widened, "No nose…?"

There was a mirror in the room and the boy jumped in front of it, eyes wide as he stared into two red eyes. He blinked. They blinked. His green hand slowly reached up to touch his forward leaning antennae hanging much like his hair did. He was Irken.

He turned to the smeet, who was now feeling guilty, "You… turned me Irken?!"

Eleven whimpered, "I said I didn't know how!!"

"Hush, both of you!! This could work to our advantage!!"

Both smeets looked at ZiM; Dib glared, "How?"

ZiM sneered, "All you need is a PAK and the right attitude."

-

Eleven left the room first as he heard a loud crunching sound and Dib's pained yelp from behind him. The new Irken staggered out of the room with ZiM's PAK attached to his back and his eyes tearing up.

Eleven cocked his head, "You O.K.?"

Dib's eye twitched, "Don't… don't ask me that right now."

Eleven shrugged and felt Dib's hand nudge him along. The plan was that Dib worked for the R.A.I. and Eleven was going on a field trip. The two Irks passed the group who had left the elevator, a few engineers who said nothing as they passed, and entered the elevator.

-

As the elevator came to a halt on their floor, Dib nudged the smeet gently out again, making as though this little walk around was supposed to teach him something. Eleven whined a little to make it sound convincing, but ZiM's PAK thought it was out of pain.

A sharp tingle went down Dib's spine and then ZiM's PAK beeped, "Don't you dare hurt him, Dib-filth. I can sever every nerve in your body with a single command, so you better watch yourself."

Dib growled, but kept Eleven ahead of him, keeping an eye out for the Voot as they entered the ship lot.

"ZiM," Dib grumbled, "do you remember where we parked?"

ZiM scoffed, "YOU were the one who was supposed to remember where the Voot was."

Dib glared back at the PAK, "You- you IDIOT!! You're the one who grabbed the ticket, so you should know!! Where's the ticket?!"

ZiM went to answer then growled, "It's in my holographic pockets."  
"Great," Dib grumbled, "You dropped it."

"Not all is lost!!" ZiM exclaimed, "I believe part of it was seven eight."

Dib frowned, "It slipped off the tongue… I remember it was in the seventy-eight hundreds."

ZiM laughed, "That's not even a number!! What are you stupid?!"

"HEY!!"

Both stopped and Dib faced Eleven who was pointing, "Voot's right here."

Dib sighed, and ZiM's PAK beeped again, "Seven eight three eight, darn it. ZiM KNEW WHERE IT WAS ALL ALONG!!"

Dib knocked the PAK against a parked ship, "Quiet, ZiM. If we have to be connected like this, you'd better learn when to shut up."

The PAK hissed at the new Irk, the blue-eyed smeet ahead of them opening the Voot, "Maybe ZiM should take over the stupid Dib," the PAK threatened, "then maybe ZiM could- OW!!"

Dib laughed as he bumped the PAK into another ship. The new Irken climbed in alongside Eleven and the ship's windshield came down. ZiM disconnected from Dib's back and scooted both smeets off the driver's seat, turning on the Voot and driving the ship out of the R.A.I. mother ship. The alarm didn't ring until after they had left, and the alarm wasn't ringing because of Eleven's escape.

--

**If they don't know Eleven's missing, what could the alarm be ringing for? R&R if you don't mind!! **


	17. Sought After

**Well, another chapter because you people demand it. Enjoy.**

--Earlier…

Reep took a small sip from his glass, allowing the heavy flavor of his drink to consume him. He wasn't one to waste time with such simple things, always working as hard as he did, but today was a special occasion. The purple-eyed Irk swallowed gingerly and set his glass on his desk, turning to Saint, who had been standing patiently for a few minutes.

"Saint," Reep began, "you've done a great amount of work with us for the past couple months, all of which has truly paid off in our victory during your time here."

Saint's eyes narrowed, "I work hard for all my clients, regardless of the outcome."

Reep smiled and stood from his desk chair, "I understand greatly," the Irk paced leisurely in front of the taller Irken, "but what would you say if I told you the R.A.I. would be willing to accept further assistance from you?"

Saint's hands turned to fists, "On what grounds?"

Reep turned away, smirking a bit, "You'd be given room and board, access to all weaponry and the gym, if you so chose to work alongside some of the soldiers…" Reep knew the Irk behind him was surprised, but he continued, "I wish you to become a permanent part of the R.A.I. initiative. What do you think?"

Saint's eyes were wide with shock but he quickly narrowed them again, "I… I'm not sure. I've never been a permanent part of any organization, let alone one that wants dominance over the universe."

Reep chuckled, turning back to Saint, "That's what makes it more of an adventure!!" the R.A.I.'s leader sat on his desk and leaned back, "Tell you what. You go ahead and roam the halls. Talk with some of my forces," Reep pursed in satisfaction, "When you're ready to give me an answer, come find me."

Saint nervously strutted out the door, but with his hard walk out of the room one would have mistaken it for anger.

Reep chuckled again and sat at his desk, feet up, and took his drink into his hands, examining it, "He'll join," he took a larger sip, "and with every new member, the R.A.I. grows more and more invincible…"

-

Saint's hands were in his deep pockets as he glided through the R.A.I. ship's halls. He had finished the job Reep had paid him for in the first place: catching Eleven. The tall Irken winced as he remembered the smeet's face, heartbreakingly painful to look at with those large blue eyes staring deep into his own. Saint shook his head, throwing away the thought.

The Irk would not be thinking on his own for much longer, however, seeing as Jeb had suddenly popped out of nowhere and had put Saint into a friendly headlock-hug.

"Sainty!!" Jeb squealed, nearly choking the Irk, "Where've you been? What did Reep want?"

Saint allowed the torture to commence because while he hated being touched too much, he found Jeb to be of no threat.

The Irken simply pulled himself out of the other Irk's grasp, "It's… complicated."

Jeb's eyes widened as he stared, then started to get a bit teary, "Are… are you gonna DIE?!"

Saint sighed, nearly giggling, "No. I'm not dying…" he started to walk; Jeb followed, "It's a multitude of things, Jeb… Just a lot of stress, I guess."  
The shorter Irk giggled, "You rhyme."

The red-eyed Irken shook his head, "That's one of the things. I'm better off by myself because I never have to make such decisions like this."

Jeb watched Saint's changed expressions curiously, "What decision?"

Saint buried his hands deep in his pockets again, "Reep asked me to join the R.A.I."

Jeb jumped around squealing, then took Saint's hands out of his pockets and tried to get the other Irk to jump around with him.

The taller Irk swiftly took Jeb by the arms and held him firm, "This isn't good, Jeb. It's bad."

The shorter Irk stared, obviously confused, "But… why?"

Saint began walking again and Jeb continued to follow, "When I'm working for separate clients, I never join their organization, Jeb. It puts me in the middle of things for starters. This place…" Saint thought hard about what he was going to say, "This ship just doesn't seem like the right place for anyone to stay. It makes me feel sick."

Jeb nodded, "It's suppressing… I can only imagine how Eleven feels."

Saint groaned softly, "That's… another reason," he leveled his gaze to meet Jeb's, "I think the biggest mistake I've made since I started working here was accepting the job to bring that smeet in. Reep just seems a bit too…"

"Insane," Jeb mumbled.

Saint nodded, "Not quite, but that's good enough."

The purple-eyed Irk thought long and hard, "Then don't join because Reep asked. Join to find out what he plans to do with Eleven. You can make sure he doesn't hurt him if you're worried."

The taller Irken nodded, "I could. And I just might do that," Saint smiled softly, "Thank you, Jeb."

Jeb smiled and gave Saint and hug, "No problem," he quickly let him go, "Now you go and talk to Reep and get this all settled."

Saint rolled his eyes and glided back to Reep's office. Jeb watched Saint leave with satisfaction, but his gaze quickly shifted to a small sign someone had left for the employees on the ship.

The purple-eyed Irk read it quickly, his concern for Saint forgotten, "Donuts in the break room, hot dog!!"

-

Saint knocked once on Reep's door before being allowed in. The Irk made sure to close the door behind him, as the topic he was about touch may be a bit sensitive.

Reep wasn't looking at Saint, the back of his chair facing the Irk, "Made your decision yet?"

Saint nodded as Reep turned to face him, "Yes. I'll join, but on one condition."

Reep stood, knuckles on his desk, "I'm listening."

The taller Irk took a deep breath, "I want to know what you plan to do with the smeet."

Reep laughed, hard, surprised with Saint's ability to be so succinct.

The R.A.I. leader sat back in his chair, "My first plan was to have him in my custody, but stay out of the fight. My second was to train him to fight. And…" Reep stopped.

Saint glared, not liking the pause, "And?"

Reep stood again and glided around his desk, staring Saint in the face, "Let's just say that my third plan needs some… improvement…"

Saint's eyes were still narrow, but he nodded, "Fine."

Reep smiled, "Good. I trust the room you've been staying in will suffice?"

Saint turned and walked out of the room, muttering a 'yes' as he left. The R.A.I. leader chuckled quietly to himself as he took out a few books about the clones and other such theories about the universe, reading everything in much interest as his thoughts on how to perfect plan number three slowly came together.

-

Saint dashed though the halls, his trench coat billowing behind him. His destination was unknown, but he had to talk to someone other than Jeb. Someone he knew. Someone like-

"Felm!!"

The magenta-eyed medic turned and greeted Saint with a soft smile, "Hello, Saint. How are you fairing? You're not seeing me officially are you?"

Saint shook his head and pulled the medic from the hallway and towards a closet, "Talk. Now."

The taller Irk threw the medic into the closet and made sure to lock the door behind him.

Felm frowned obviously displeased, "Saint, we could have gone to my office if there was something you needed to say or tell. There is no reason why we should be-"

Saint covered his mouth, and clicked on the overhead light, "Sh. Just listen, all right?"

Felm nodded and Saint let go, "I'm worried about Eleven's safety."

The medic sighed, "You, me and Jeb."

Saint's eyes glowed, "O.K., then maybe this is no surprise: Reep's going to hurt the kid."

Felm's arms were crossed now, "Continue."

The taller Irk rubbed the back of his head, "Reep told me his first plan was to just hold on to the kid. The second was to have him fight and the third…" Saint shook his head, "I think he's planning to hurt him."

Felm smiled gently, "I was just on my way to see Reep," Felm opened the closet door, "Eleven isn't in his room."

Saint followed the medic, grabbing his arm, "No, don't tell him. Not now anyways. Wait for about half an hour."

Felm laughed, "Already have."

The medic turned to walk down the halls, the tall Irk looking on with a smug grin, "Maybe this wasn't such a bad decision."

-

Reep was staring out his office window when there came a soft knock on the door. He sighed. He was popular today…

"Come in."

Felm walked in quietly and shut the door, "Evening, Reep."

Reep didn't turn around, "Felm. What brings you up here?"

Before the young medic could respond, the ship shook violently.

Reep took hold of his chair and glared at Felm who had fallen backwards on the floor and was now staring back in utter surprise, "I'm guessing this wasn't the topic of discussion."

The medic shook his head and stood, waiting for orders. What he had to say about Eleven's condition would have to wait.

Reep straightened his shirt and adjusted his belt, "Stick to your duties in the hospital wing. If you see Jeb, tell him to get onto the command deck. I'll be there shortly."

Felm saluted and walked out, hand on his belt pouch that contained smaller medical supplies. Reep growled and kicked his chair over as he viewed the Tallests' Massive fire off another round from his office window.

--

**I'm betting a lot of people didn't know Saint had more to him that met the eye. R&R and, again, the R.A.I., N.A., clones and Eleven can be seen on deviantart under the artist name of megadoomingir.**


	18. Silent Mutiny

**Back again, no? To the people who wanted to see the drawn up characters on my deviantart account I've posted the R.A.I., N.A. all the clones and Eleven. Irken Dib will be posted soon though. **_**Warning!! This chapter is heart wrenching and shows one of my OC's true colors!!**_

--

Felm took a large breather as he popped another R.A.I. officer's dislocated arm back into its socket. The Irken groaned in pain, but quickly thanked the medic with a salute and staggered off to continue fighting. Felm sighed. He had managed to wander up to level twenty-eight, the level where Eleven had previously been stationed, having wanted to check the room for anything probative or interesting. The young medic had just happened upon hurt people along the way.

Felm had found that the bombs and lasers had been firing in standard intervals, a predictable combat technique all Irkens had learned to master at some point. The medic crouched down close to the floor again, a few fleeting moments before the firing began again and waited a few moments more before it stopped. The Irk sprinted this time, grabbing room thirty-nine's door handle and jumping in before the shooting started up again.

The room was dark, cold and messy. Felm stayed close to the floor as he inspected everything. There was the smell of death, but no bodies were in the area. The medic covered his nose area and moved on, observing what looked like a stain on the bed sheets. Felm's PAK handed him a swab and he inspected the stain more closely. Blood.

The medic caught a gasp in his throat, but quickly swabbed the bloodstain and staggered out of the room, bracing himself for another tremor to riddle the ship. But nothing happened. Felm stared quizzically as he walked slowly up to a window and saw the Massive begin pulling back.

"That's odd," the young medic murmured as he started back to his labs, "And I thought they were winning…"

-

Reep's eyes were ablaze as he reviewed the tactics his troops had used against the enemy. While the ships lasers were temporarily malfunctioning for the first half of the battle, they had put out full force during the last half. Reep's fist made contact with his desk. If they had put out full force during the last half, why hadn't they won? The R.A.I. leader collapsed into his chair and listened to the hum of silence fill the room. Leading was a difficult job.

Reep didn't move as he heard his office door creak open, Jeb's eyes peeking from behind the door, "Um. Your Reepy-ness? Felm told me to tell you something."

Reep sighed, "Yes, Jeb, what did Felm say?"

Jeb trembled still hardly in the room, "Um… he says Eleven's gone."

And with that, Jeb didn't wait to see his leader's reaction. The young Irk was already at the elevator, pressing the down button rapidly as he heard Reep explode with anger. Jeb cried out in fear as the sound of Reep's desk colliding with a wall rippled through the air. The purple-eyed Irk pressed the elevator button faster, hoping it would help, but he soon felt Reep's claws take hold of the back of his neck, pinching painfully.

Jeb whimpered as Reep held him, waiting for the elevator as well and when it finally opened for the two, Reep walked Jeb into it, trying to control his breathing.

"Floor nineteen, Jeb," the older Irk muttered.

Jeb whimpered but reached out to press the button anyways, hoping that Felm was hiding away in a cave millions of light-years away from their current position.

-

Felm's eyes widened as he marveled at the cells he had placed under the microscope. He muttered something to himself, then giggled, focusing the lens on a particular cell. The medic giggled again, watching the cell float, suspended in blood plasma. It began to ripple like jelly, causing a pleased noise to escape from Felm's mouth as he began writing down what he observed.

The medic focused in further, ignoring the sound of his lab door being kicked open.

"FELM!!"

Reep shoved Jeb forward, "When the IRK did Eleven manage to escape?!"

Felm merely smiled and chuckled, writing down another observation.

Reep glared, "What… is so interesting?"

The medic pursed into his scope, "I have a sample of Eleven's blood. And it is fascinating…"

Reep's eyes widened, his previous anger forgotten as he held onto the back of Felm's chair, "What have you learned?"

The medic sighed contently, "Every poison I administered was defeated. Every attempt to puncture a cell was overcome. The fact that these cells are even still functioning is astounding…"

Reep's eyes began to glow with a familiar evil, "Can they be injected into someone?"

Felm thought for a moment, "I'm sure they could. The cells would probably try to adjust other cells into a familiar state before transforming their new host into a suitable new home."

The R.A.I. leader sneered, "I want you to make a serum out of this. A few officers will be receiving injections later today, starting with Saint."

Felm jumped out of his seat, turning to gaze upon Reep with wide eyes, "You… you really expect me to use our own people, much less Saint, as guinea pigs?! What's gotten into you?!"

Reep leveled his gaze, "I'd watch what you say, Felm. I've just lost a valuable asset in this war and I'm not in the mood to show you mercy."  
The young medic glared, "What the Irk do I care?! Eleven's out of this horrible place!! And as long as you don't come into contact with that smeet again, I can die happy, but until you recognize the Tallests as your leaders, you can go to-"

There came a loud smack as Reep's hand came into contact with Felm's face and a rattle of glass beakers as the medic grasped his desk for support, tears flooding his burning eyes. Reep said nothing as he strolled out of the lab.

Jeb squeaked softly as he watched Felm's claws begin to bleed from clutching his desk so tightly. The medic let his tears trickle down his face, hissing as they came into contact with the three bleeding scratches Reep's claws had made that sat squarely on his right cheek. Jeb squeaked again, almost inaudibly, as he approached his friend, his sad purple eyes trying to catch Felm's burning magenta eyes.

The medic finally turned away, staring at Eleven's open file folder sitting across his desk. Felm's hands took the folder and closed it, setting it on the counter. The medic took out Eleven's blood sample slide from his microscope and tossed it alongside the file.

Jeb whimpered as he ran out of the lab, not wanting to see what Felm was doing with the items. He ran hard out into the hallway, bumping into lower class officers and drones, all unable to understand the pain he was in.

-

It wasn't until a strong pair of arms snagged the upset Irk that Jeb realized he had run nearly three times around the same level. The same pair punched an officer who had begun to say something out of line, then led the tearing Jeb to an empty office.

"Jeb?"

It was a recognizable voice. Jeb was familiar with it, but his mind couldn't wrap itself around it. It could only replay Felm's outburst and Reep's way of dealing with it. Jeb began sobbing quietly and the pair of hands that caught him and punched that officer's face in gently brushed the tears out of his face.

"Jeb?"

It was the voice again. It was a bit more forceful, but still overwhelmingly concerned.

Jeb sniffed, looking up into Saint's red eyes, "What?"

Saint sighed, relieved that the smaller Irk finally spoke, "What happened? Reep seemed annoyed, there was a bit of blood on his claws and he told me to see Felm," Jeb sniffed again when Saint mentioned the medic, "What happened?"

The smaller Irk said nothing and tried to turn away from Saint, but the red-eyed Irk was having none of it.

"Jeb," Saint said softly, "You're not hurt. I can tell that much. I think it's right to assume that Felm's blood was the blood on Reep's claws wasn't it?"

Jeb nodded slowly.

The taller Irk sighed, "So… what happened?"

The purple-eyed Irken shivered then whimpered, "Felm found some of Eleven's blood and was looking at it. And then Reep told him to make a serum out of it and use you as a guinea pig. Felm refused… and then he had an outburst."

Saint let go of the breath he was holding, "Can you remember what Felm said?"

Jeb nodded again, "He… he said 'You really expect me to use our own people, much less Saint, as guinea pigs? What's gotten into you?'…" Jeb's face looked distant as he remembered what had set Reep off, "And… and then…

_Reep leveled his gaze, "I'd watch what you say, Felm. I've just lost a valuable asset in this war and I'm not in the mood to show you mercy."_

_The young medic glared, "What the Irk do I care?! Eleven's out of this horrible place!! And as long as you don't come into contact with that smeet again, I can die happy, but until you recognize the Tallests as your leaders, you can go to-"_

_There came a loud smack as Reep's hand came into contact with Felm's face and a rattle of glass beakers as the medic grasped his desk for support, tears flooding his burning eyes. Reep said nothing as he strolled out of the lab._

Saint's eyes were wide as Jeb shivered and sobbed quietly.

The taller Irk nervously hugged the crying Irk, "Uh… look Jeb, I'm not use to… to comforting someone… but I'm guessing checking on Felm will make you fell better… right?"

Jeb looked up, wiping his tears away, "That would be nice…"

Saint smiled and broke the hug, "All right, let's go see Felm then."

-

The door the Felm's lab was wide open, not something that was usually seen, so when Jeb and Saint approached the door, they already knew something terrible had or was going to happen. Saint walked in first observing that his feet were not touching the floor but stepping on papers and files that Felm usually kept nice and neat in their folders. Jeb followed Saint quietly, holding in many whimpers that he knew at some point were going to escape his mouth. Both stopped a few feet in to stare at Felm who had taken a quarter full oil drum from one of the lower levels and brought it into his lab.

"Felm?" Saint asked quietly, "What are you doing?"

Felm didn't look up as he took Eleven's bloodied bed sheets from the smeet's room and wrapped it around Eleven's file folder, blood sample and blood swab, "Getting rid of all of Eleven's file evidence. I already had the computer delete his digital files, so now I just have to take care of these," he tossed the bundle into the oil drum and a laser from the ceiling shot into the drum, starting a fire; he turned to look at Saint, "I've been waiting for a chance like this for a long time."

Saint observed the still untreated gashes on Felm's cheek, "Do you need help with that?"  
Felm brushed his hand over the wounds, sighing, "I thank you Saint, but I've already treated it with something."

Jeb peeked out from behind Saint, "With what?"

"I introduced a single cell from Eleven's blood sample to the wound," Felm shrugged, "It's already gotten smaller."

Saint glared, grabbing Felm's wrist as he led him out of the room, Jeb following, "I don't care how upset and distraught you are, you can NOT use yourself as a guinea pig!!"

"Yeah!!" Jeb yelled angrily, "You're no guinea!!"

Felm smiled to himself as Saint pulled him into the elevator, "I'm just glad Reep doesn't have anything on Eleven anymore…"

Saint was glaring, but inside he was proud.

--

**R&R and yes Reep's a bard, I should know I made him…**


	19. Separation Anxiety

**Here's another chapter for you. **_**Warning!! This chapter contains sad removal of PAK from smeet and experiments performed on an Irk who claims to have been human.**_

-- After the escape…

Dib sighed, taking off his glasses, "Guess I don't need these anymore."

Eleven's antennae drooped, "I'm sorry, Dib. I really tried though… I know!!" the smeet smiled, "I could go to a human cemetery!! Or maybe a morgue and learn how the human body functions so I can fix your body!!"

The blue-eyed smeet's face was so innocent, Dib completely forgot what he had said he was going to do, "Uh… no? It's… O.K., I'll learn to work with this for now."

"You'd better," ZiM growled from the front seat, "You've been given the gift of life once more. You had better use it wisely…"

ZiM's PAK held out a robotic tentacle and Dib handed it the glasses for storage, "Hm," Dib muttered, "I always thought that I'd stop you from taking over the Earth maybe see your autopsy and come out the hero… but," he looked at Eleven, "you've been protecting this smeet since before I was born which seems pretty heroic to me."

"Fah," ZiM waved off the compliment, "It is for the best that Eleven is safe. Irkens… and other races alike all want power and while Eleven has what they need and more…" the hologram sighed, "but even ZiM sees that Eleven was made to have that power and no one else. All these groups are wasting their time."

Eleven planted himself off to ZiM's side, "I'm glad you can see that…"

ZiM smiled to himself, glancing at the smeet, "ZiM is too."

Dib smiled at the scene, wishing ZiM was replaced by his dad and he was taking place of Eleven, but the moment was short lived when the Irk's antennae perked, "ZiM?" he asked nervously, "Something's wrong with my feeler thingies."

ZiM rolled his eyes, "Nothing's wrong with your antennae Dib-stink, your extra hearing kicked in. It allows you to pick up certain wavelengths that travel through space."

Eleven's antennae perked as well, "ZiM? It's coming from the R.A.I. ship," the hologram was listening now, "It goes like 'beep beep beep beep'."

ZiM glared bracing himself, "It's an alarm. Prepare for incoming because if it's made for you then-"

"Wait. ZiM!!" Dib pointed out the side of the ship, "What is THAT?!"

ZiM followed where the Irken's finger pointed and gaped at the sight, "It's the MASSIVE!!"

The hologram quickly grabbed the controls and pulled hard, sending the ship upwards before the larger ship crashed into them.

Dib glared, "How did you miss seeing that?!"

The hologram coughed, "ZiM was focused on the smeet."

Eleven merely shrugged, "Sorry…"

ZiM glared at the Massive as it neared the R.A.I.'s ship and fired, "We can't worry about that now. We have two groups in front of us that are both equally dangerous. Reep knows what he's doing, the Tallests…" ZiM tried to find something nice to say, but couldn't find anything, "well… not so much. The point being that Reep would give the order to have your claws filed while the Tallests would accidentally lop off your head."

Eleven gulped then whimpered, "So… what do we do?"

The hologram growled as he turned the ship away from the battle, although it didn't seem like one since the R.A.I. had yet to fire, "We remain neutral. As soon as all of this blows over, we can move back to Earth and ZiM will never call the Tallests again."

Dib smiled at ZiM's bold move to never call his leaders again, but was brought back to his senses when the Voot suddenly quivered and stopped moving.

"Oh great, ZiM," Dib hollered angrily, "first you don't see the Massive and then your little ship breaks down."

ZiM shoved Dib away, "ME?! How long have YOU been protecting the smeet, eh?! Two days!! Not even!! ZiM knows what's going on!!"

Eleven peeked out from the side of the Voot, "We're in a tractor beam."

The two Irks stopped their bickering to sit alongside the smeet observing that the Voot was no longer making the Massive look far away, as going forward would do, but was instead making it look bigger as going backwards would do.

ZiM slumped, "Now what?"

Dib's eyes narrowed, "What do you mean?"

The hologram cupped his face in his hands, "Both of you need a PAK to look normal. If I choose Eleven, they'll take you Dib and experiment on you. Human turned Irken would really make you loveable. But if ZiM does choose you, Dib, they'll separate Eleven from us and most likely keep him caged up where they will devise horrible experiments to test on him while they keep asking who we are… er… YOU are."

Eleven shuddered, "Then what do we do?"

"Top priority," Dib stated firmly as a shipping dock became visible on the Massive, "Eleven needs to be kept safe. So ZiM takes you and keeps you safe while I where a backpack or something. Just for a while so no one notices."

ZiM looked up at the both of them, "Another problem, Dib. Tak, remember?"

Dib winced, "Yeah, she's not so easy to trick…"

The Voot quivered again as the tractor beam maxed out on energy and began pulling them in faster.

Eleven gasped, then shivered, "ZiM."

"Quiet," the hologram muttered, "ZiM is thinking."

Dib's eyes narrowed, "Since when did I even become part of your equation?"

"Since Eleven took a liking to you," ZiM sighed, "If he hated you, you would've been buried a LONG time ago."

"Um… ZiM?"

The hologram turned to look at the smeet, "Yes, Eleven?"

The smeet tapped his fingers, "What… what if we go as three individuals? Then we could talk to them and see if we could strike up a deal or something," ZiM scratched his chin as he listened, "You know these Irks better seeing as you grew up with most of them…" Eleven looked back at the Massive, "And I can bend a little bit, so protection wouldn't be too much of a problem."

Dib leaned over to ZiM, "What can he bend?"

ZiM stood, "Fire, you saw it before" he walked up next to Eleven, "All right. We'll try it. Talking to the Tallests might be difficult, but I'm sure Tak or Skoodge could relay our demands in a way they could understand."

Dib sighed in relief, his new alien heart pounding, "So… we're gonna do this?"

The other two Irkens nodded.

Dib smiled, "All right. Lets see if we can pull this off."

The Voot clanged loudly as it came into contact with the Massive's docking floor, and all three Irks clung to a piece of the little ship as it finally touched down and the tractor beam was disengaged. Eleven shivered and looked at ZiM, but the hologram only nodded.

Irkens dressed in Elite Guard outfits surrounded the Voot, checking to make sure it was not a threat to the two who came to speak with the little ship's occupants. The Tallests hovered in after the guards, both glaring at the ship. Tak and Skoodge were behind them.

The windshield to the Voot opened and ZiM barely peeked out, "We will only speak with Tak or Skoodge!!" he yelled out across the docking bay.

The Tallests nudged the two forward.

From where Eleven sat, he could see that Tak had put a patch on her scratches, "ZiM!!" the female Irk yelled back, "Get your butt out of the Voot!!"

There was a pause before ZiM answered again, "No!!"

Tak's claws were in a tight fist, "Out now!! Or we'll come in after you!!"

Skoodge pulled her back, "Uh… ZiM!! What is it you wanted to talk to us about?!"

ZiM stood up so that his entire head was now visible, "Negotiations!! We demand things!!"

The Tallests rolled their eyes, but said nothing. Scans showed three occupants: one PAK, Eleven and an unknown Irken. The Tallests were most concerned about the second one.

Skoodge sighed, "All right!! What do you want?!"

ZiM thought for a moment, "One!! ZiM gets to stay with Eleven!! Two!! Eleven and ZiM are not separated from the Dib!! Three!! If you want us here, we won't fight!! ZiM will only fight to protect the smeet!!"

The Tallests listened to the demands. Inside, they were surprised that ZiM hadn't demanded anything bigger.

Red hovered forward, "That's all you want?! You don't want any lasers?!"

"No!!"

"Ships?!"

"No!!"

"How about a sack of _super_ weapons?! You want a sack of _super_ weapons?!"

"No!! Just what we listed!!"

Eleven stood up so he could see the Tallests and giggled, "I like you guys!! You're giant!!"

Purple smiled, "Well, I like that smeet now."

Red glared at his companion, "One compliment and you're set one being friends."

The co-tallest glared, "That's not what I said."

The red-eyed Tallest rolled his eyes, "Whatever," he turned back to ZiM, "We may want to speak with Eleven at some point!! We also want to know the identity of your third passenger!!"

Tak squinted as Dib stood, "I know him…" she stared a moment more before her eyes widened, "Dib?!"

Dib smiled meekly and waved, "Hi, Tak… I'm Irken!!"

"How…!! When…!!" Tak shook with anger and confusion, "What the IRK happened to YOU?!"

Dib shrugged, "I died and Eleven reanimated me!!"

Red glared, "We don't have time for this. PULL 'EM OUTTA THE SHIP AND SEPARATE THEM NOW!!"

The Elites jumped into the ship and pulled ZiM and Dib out first, who were both fighting hard for the same causes. When an Elite Guard tried to grab Eleven, however, his hand was scorched and he jumped out of the ship screaming and shrieking in agony. The rest of the Irkens backed away from the smeet, ZiM and Dib already bound and rendered immobile.

Purple hovered forward, glaring at Red, "Smeet!!" he called, "As much of an idiot as my co-tallest is, we want to be able to grant your requests… at some point!! It's a matter of trust!! We can't trust you right now!!"

Eleven shrunk back into the ship, terrified.

Purple sighed, hoping that he was getting through to the young Irk, "Here's what we are prepared to offer!!" he pulled Red in and the two began muttering; Purple turned back, "We will separate you from ZiM and that Dib guy, but we guarantee their safety!! We will set you into cell and if neither you nor your friends try anything, we will allow you to stay with each other again!! You will not be forced to fight!!"

Eleven shivered, sick to his stomach with fear as he slowly stood up, nodding. ZiM's hologram kicked hard against the Elite holding him, but got nowhere. The smeet sniffed as he exited the Voot and let an Elite Guard take his arm, but his antennae perked as he remembered something he wanted.

"Wait!!" the Tallests stared at Eleven, waiting for him to continue, "Can I say good bye to ZiM?"

Both Tallests stared in confusion at the smeet. Why weren't they asking for super weapons?!

Red glared, "No!! Get him into his cell!! Separate that PAK from the other Irk!! And you!!" he pointed to the closest COM drone, "Inform the command deck to break off the fight, we're leaving!!"

Eleven began to tear up when he heard Red's final command and turned to try and see if there was some way to get back to ZiM. Dib was already being dragged off the shipping dock and into the elevator, but ZiM was fighting tooth and nail trying to get to Eleven. The smeet glared as he stepped hard onto the Elite's foot causing the guard to let him go. Eleven sprinted towards ZiM, reaching out to grab his hand, but was grabbed by another Elite and dragged away.

ZiM's eye widened a he watched the smeet, screaming and wailing, being torn away from him. Something inside the Irken snapped. This wasn't just a smeet. This was HIS smeet, HIS responsibility, HIS reason to wake up every morning and find purpose.

"NO!!" ZiM bellowed, "Not twice!!"

He elbowed the Irk holding him in the gut and punched another Elite in the face almost reaching Eleven's quivering, outstretched hand. A shock stick came down hard on ZiM's PAK and the only one left screaming was the blue-eyed smeet.

Tak's eyes weren't holding their usually malice against ZiM as she watched the events unfold. She found herself saddened that the one thing ZiM wanted to do, protect the smeet, was obscured violently by Tallest Red's poor decision. Tak sighed knowing full well that this wouldn't have happened if he had just said 'yes'.

Purple glared at Red as the smeet was taken out of the room to another elevator, "What the IRK was that?!"

Red stared, "What do you mean? I'm acting like a Tallest."

"No, you're not!!" Purple seethed, "You're acting like a jerk!! All he wanted to do was say good bye to ZiM!! Just to part!! As much as I hate ZiM, he's done a good job in keeping that smeet alive!!"

Red glared back, "You're getting to be too soft, Pur. We can't be all nice and fluffy because of this smeet you know. This is a WAR, not a daycare!!"

Tak straightened up and was pulled from her thoughts by the yelling, "You should have said 'yes'," the Tallests turned to look at her, "The smeet would have been more compelled to listen to you then," she turned away and smiled sadly, "Now, he won't trust any of us."

The female Irk walked out of the docking bay to get back to working fully aware that the Tallests' eyes were still on her as she left.

Red sighed, turning to another drone, "I want you to tell the medical staff that we've sent up a mysterious Irken that has no PAK and is functioning properly. I want to know how."

The drone left, but Purple just glared, fists on his hips, "Could you dig yourself a BIGGER hole?!"

Skoodge gulped, hoping neither Tallest was prepared to kill the other.

Red just glared back, "I'm doing what needs to be done, Pur. Now if you don't mind, I have to review some strategies one of the control brains sent us."

Purple's hands shook with fury, but he smiled, "Skoodge?" the small Irk saluted, "I want you and Tak to make sure that the smeet, ZiM and that Irk are not harmed. Stress is beginning to take my co-tallest, though he'd never admit it…"

Skoodge saluted again and went to find Tak, hoping he could tell her quickly and begin their little operation.

--

**Phew, tired from writing so much. R&R and such!! **


	20. Pleas

**Another chapter for the fine readers. **_**Warning!! Another OC appears!!**_

--

Eleven choked quietly on a sob as his head hung through the metal bars surrounding him. They couldn't trust him, so they caged him. The smeet fell to his knees and whimpered wishing that ZiM were there to at least tell him to stop crying. But the familiar voice didn't ring across his antennae and the young Irken just trembled as he felt his insides turn over.

He would have thrown up, but he put his head back, forcing his spooch to calm down. Eleven looked into the darkness of his cell, which was furnished with nothing. Not a single toy was set out for him to play with nor was he given even a place to sleep. While the Tallests had never actually planned for his arrival they did make sure to quickly send down a large pillow and a blanket. Who knew how long the smeet would be staying in there?

The cage itself was like a large box, encasing the smeet from the front and the top which were the strongest metal bars the Irks could weld. The right wall, left wall and back wall were the hardest alloy known to the Irks, a type of rock only found to be left by dead stars. The Tallests rooms were made out of it, so if the Massive were somehow destroyed, the rooms would survive.

There was a window high up above Eleven's cage and the smeet could just barely see the Massive pass by clusters of stars. The smeet sighed as he balled himself up, having used all his energy earlier when escaping the R.A.I., reanimating Dib and then trying to get back to ZiM. The young Irk shivered and nuzzled his head onto his knees unaware that the door to the prison had been opened and someone was standing just outside his cage.

A small, gloved hand reached out and carefully draped the tired smeet in a fuzzy blanket. Eleven spun around fearfully, unconsciously clutching the blanket that he had been given and stared into Skoodge's surprised face.

"I… I thought you were asleep," Skoodge stammered, "Sorry… didn't mean to scare you and all…"

Eleven jumped to his feet, the blanket falling off his shoulders as he grabbed the bars of his cage, "ZiM!! Is he O.K.?! And Dib, too!!"

Skoodge quickly took hold of Eleven's hands, "ZiM's O.K. and Tallest Purple made the scientists release Dib. He's a bit banged up, but safe."

"But," the smeet sniffed, "where's ZiM? Why won't they at least let me see him?"

Skoodge sighed, "You saw the way ZiM acted when you tried to get to him. ZiM's being held in a room that sends out a low level of EMP waves. It disrupts certain PAK functions like lasers or tentacles or whatever special upgrades have been added. He's all right, but he's madder than Irk."

Eleven nodded, "Will they put Dib in the same room?"

The fat Irk smiled, "I should think so."

Eleven slid to his knees then rested on his butt, "Good… that is good…"

Skoodge knelt down next to Eleven, "I can't really believe you and ZiM were one in the same for a while. What's he like when he's not under so much pressure?"

The smeet squeaked while he thought, "Well… he uses his spontaneousness to make me laugh… and he's really protective of all the things around me… he always makes sure that he has his eyes on me while I'm playing with GIR cause GIR is crazy…" Eleven nodded, satisfied, "ZiM is the only Irken I trust with my life."

Skoodge smiled, standing, "It's good someone does."  
The door to the prison slid open again and Tak walked in carrying the large pillow, "Miss me, Skoodge?"

The fat Irken shrugged, "Not entirely."

The purple-eyed Irk slid the pillow through the bars of the cage allowing Eleven to take it and inspect it, "And what were you two talking about, eh? Something the Tallests should know?"

Skoodge shook his head, "Nothing really."

Eleven dropped the pillow next to the blanket and looked at Tak, "Are they gonna let me see ZiM?"  
Tak's eyes flashed, "Probably not, smeet. ZiM is insane you know."

The blue-eyed Irk frowned, "No he isn't. He's just… driven. If he were as insane and as careless as you guys see him, would you even be alive right now?"

Skoodge shook his head, "Probably not."

"So…" Eleven started, "Do I get to see him then?"

Tak sighed, "As lenient as our Tallest Purple is being, he has requested that we keep ZiM away from you for a while," Eleven began to tear up, "I'm very sorry."

Eleven looked away from them, "Oh…"

Skoodge watched Tak leave the room and then followed suit knowing the both of them still needed to make sure ZiM wasn't being mutilated.

-

ZiM's hologram punched hard into on of the walls, denting it. How dare they not allow him to see his smeet. How DARE they. The Irken's rage was boiling over and wouldn't be long before he killed someone.

Dib scooted closer to the corner of the room they were stuck in trying to stay out of ZiM's way.

"How could they do this?" ZiM rasped, "To ZiM, ZiM can understand, but to the smeet?! They could at least benefit the smeet!!" he punched again, making the dent bigger, "Those filthy mongrels!! ZiM would destroy them all if ZiM had even one weapon!!"

Dib shuddered, "Well… they haven't hurt you, have they? And I'm sure they haven't harmed Eleven."

A knock on the door prevented the wall to take any more abuse from the hologram's fist. ZiM glared hatefully at the entrance to his prison, "Show yourself, you smeet torturer!!"

The door slid open and a large, purple-eyed figure stared ZiM down. ZiM just glared back, not really caring who the person was, though he knew him.

"ZiM," the figure said angrily as he walked in, "The Tallests sent me down here to tell you to stop denting their ship's walls."

ZiM stared the Irken in the face, laughing, "HA!! You think ZiM is afraid of YOU?! Never!! Not until ZiM sees Eleven!! You're worthless, Sizz-Lorr!! Before ZiM feared you would harm the smeet, not YOU directly!!"

Sizz-Lorr growled and swung his giant spatula at the hologram, which the PAK easily dodged, "You think I really care if you fear me?! I want to see you suffer a painful demise, ZiM!! After the things you did to escape me!!"

"If you had not harmed us," ZiM replied, dodging another swing, "ZiM and Eleven would have stayed at your stupid restaurant!!"

Sizz-Lorr stopped swinging, staring, "Really?"

The hologram laughed, "No!! But you still hurt the smeet!!"

ZiM's claws came down on the fry cook's forehead, making a long gash. Sizz-Lorr cried out and smacked the hologram off into a wall, holding his forehead as a little blood escaped the wound.

Dib ran over to see ZiM, his PAK sparking dangerously, and held his holographic hand, "ZiM," he said quietly, "you need to back off. I know you're angry, but we can ask about how Eleven's doing. We can ask them what we need to do in order to see him, O.K.?"

ZiM glared up at the Irken, but nodded, "Fine, Dib-stink, ZiM will… relax…"

Sizz-Lorr glared down at both Irks, "You think this is all fun and games, don't you ZiM? They had me transferred from Food Courtia to work here because not only am I a good cook, but I can fight," ZiM stayed silent, wanting to hear the relevance, "They're taking all Irken candidates from around the universe, ZiM. We're losing, understand?! While the Tallests aren't much of smeet caretakers, they aren't hurting him, are they?"

ZiM stood, starting his PAK on a manual repair system, "I wouldn't know. They have yet to let ZiM see him!!"

Sizz-Lorr's eyes softened, "Look. I hate you. You've put me through more trouble than you're worth, but even I see that that smeet down in holding doesn't deserve this, even if he is asking for you."

"You don't understand," ZiM growled, "he needs a familiar face that he trusts to be near him or his emotions take over. If ZiM or Dib doesn't get to Eleven soon his emotions will begin a freezing process that will encase his entire prison in ice!! If we still don't get down there, the ship will freeze entirely and everyone will be encased in ice in the exact positions they were working in!! Everyone will die on this ship!!"

-

Eleven sighed and felt the room begin to chill. He knew it was starting, but he knew it wouldn't happen as long as he didn't feel abandoned or depressed. ZiM was on the ship, he knew that, and at some point they would allow ZiM to see him. This thought was the only thing keeping the room chilled and not freezing.

Eleven took another breath and didn't move as his prison door slid open. A tall Irken with magenta eyes walked in, smirking. He wore the standard uniform with black gloves, pants and boots, but his shirt, as Eleven peeked out, reminded the smeet of candy because of its bright watermelon-like color.

The Irk leaned on the cage bars, "Hey, smeet. What's up?"

Eleven frowned, confused by this person, "Um… nothing…"

The Irk smiled, "So they didn't tell you yet?"

Eleven stood, "Tell me what?" there was fear spreading through the smeet's spooch.

The tall Irk sighed, "ZiM refused to calm down. They had to dismantle parts of him to keep him quiet."

Eleven's eyes widened, but then he glared, "Wait… come down here."

The Irk knelt down.

"Closer."

He knelt closer.

"Cloooooser."

The Irken rolled his eyes and let his head nearly touch a metal bar, "Yes, smeet?"  
Eleven reached out and grabbed one of his antennae, pulling hard enough to slam the evilly tall Irk's head into the bar, "You think I'm an idiot?! ZiM's fine!! I can tell when people are lying!! You smile to much when you do it!!"

The Irk tried to pull away from the smeet's grasp, but it had little effect.

"I also know who you are!!" Eleven glared, "You're Ray!! ZiM shared memories with me about you!!" the smeet pulled on Ray's antennae again forcing his head to slam into the bar again, "You were a big bully to him during his academy days!!"

Ray growled, "So what?! With the way that stupid Irk is acting, you'll never get to see him!!"

A robotic tentacle slammed into Ray's side and shoved him into the opposing wall. Another tentacle wrapped around the Irk's neck and applied pressure.

"Don't you dare," ZiM hissed, "come near ZiM's smeet again."

Sizz-Lorr took Ray away from ZiM's grasp and threw him out into the hallway, "That guy's been nothing but trouble. Starting fights mostly."

ZiM and Dib ran up to the cage bars, checking to make sure the smeet was safe.

"Did they hurt you?" ZiM asked, his hand on Eleven's cheek, "ZiM is sorry he couldn't get here faster…"

The smeet smiled, "It's O.K., ZiM… I'm just glad you're here at all…"

-

Purple felt Red's glare on him as he hovered back and forth. The two had just found out that Sizz-Lorr had taken ZiM and Dib to see the smeet.

"This is your fault you know," Red accused, "We should've continued experimenting on that weird Irk and dismantled ZiM."

"ZiM," Purple began, "is the only thing that keeps that smeet from killing us all. As annoying as he is, we HAVE to keep him."

Red growled and nibbled on a donut, angry that his friend had a point, "Well… fine!!"

Purple glared back and sighed, "Look, you've been running things more harshly and without my backing. Let me worry about the smeet and you can control the army. It will give you less of a burden."

Red took a deep breath, "All right. I can work with that."

Purple smiled, sitting back on a chair, "Good. Because I already told Sizz-Lorr to let the smeet out of the cage," Red's eyes widened, but he listened, "he's being brought up here to see us."

Both Tallests sat back, thinking. This was going to be tough to deal with…

--

**R&R and stuffs!!**


	21. Spies

**Wow, you guys are eating this up!! Well, here's another for you then.**

--

Both Tallests stared down at the young smeet as he teetered back and forth innocently, hands behind his back. Eleven didn't know why they had wanted to see him, but ZiM nearly tackled the drone who had told them they were summoned.

Red knelt down, inspecting the smeet, "You're actually rather tall for a smeet."

Eleven stared up innocently, "Thank you, my Tallest."

ZiM glared, wanting to rip the head off of both leaders for having taken his smeet away earlier, but Dib grabbed his arm and squeezed.

When this faulted in giving ZiM the hint, Dib spoke up, "I think ZiM and I need to leave for a little bit."

Purple scratched his chin as he looked over the two and finally nodded, "Very well. Sizz-Lorr, escort them out into the hallway for a bit."

ZiM's eyes widened, "Oh, no you don't!!" Sizz-Lorr put the Irk under his arm; ZiM struggled hard, "Get back here!! ZiM'll rip your face off and tear out your spooch and then dance on your innards!! And after they bury you in the ground and ZiM escapes from prison, ZiM'll dance on your grave!!"

Eleven laughed, knowing ZiM was very angry but not going to do anything.

Red's eyes narrowed at the smeet, "What's so funny?"

Eleven looked back up at the red-eyed Tallest as ZiM and Dib left the room, "Um…" he nervously drooped his antennae, "I can tell when ZiM's not being serious is all… and I thought it was funny."

Purple shook his head, "Red, relax. He's just a smeet."

"So?" Red growled sitting down, "He seems smart enough!!"

Eleven shrunk back and shivered, scared that the red-eyed Tallest was going to exercise a command that would hurt either him or his friends.

"Now look what you did!!" Purple exclaimed, glaring and his hands on his hips, "You scared him!!"

The smeet straightened up, "I-I'm sorry, my Tallests… I shouldn't have shrunk back…"

Red's antennae perked, "Well at least he knows his place," he picked up a soda from his soda stand and took a long drink.

Purple glared at his co-tallest, then turned to Eleven, "Well, I called you up here to ask you a few questions about yourself and the R.A.I."

It was Eleven's turn to have his antennae perk, "Yes!! I wanted to ask if you could spare a couple of people who work there!!"

Red nearly choked on his drink, "WHAT?!"

Eleven nodded, "Jeb the second in command, Felm the medic and Saint!! You can do whatever with the rest, but those three aren't all bad!!"

Red stood up swiftly glaring down at the smeet, "You're asking US to spare Irks who betrayed our empire?! How dare you!!"

The smeet went rigid and glared back fiercely, "No, how dare YOU!!" Red and Purple jumped back, neither recognizing the dark look in Eleven's eyes; the smeet advanced slowly, "I am the most powerful being the universe has ever known and I've decided NOT to kill you!! The least you can do is guarantee the safety of ZiM, Dib, Jeb, Saint and Felm!!"

Red gulped, nodding, "O-O.K."

Eleven's figure slumped and he shook his head, "What… why does my head hurt?"

Purple's eyes widened, "What… was that?!"

The smeet's antennae drooped, "Did I look spooky?" both Tallests nodded and Eleven's eyes began to water, "I lost my balance and slipped into another state… I'm really sorry… It happens when I'm overly stressed and angry."

Purple tapped his fingers together, "W-well it won't happen again will it?"

The smeet shook his head, "No, my Tallest."  
Purple sighed and sat down, "All right then. Now," he sat back, trying to calm down, "tell us about the R.A.I. How well developed are their forces?"

Eleven shrugged, "They have lots of Irkens, but I'm not sure how many… maybe around twenty or thirty-thousand alone…"

Red's eyes were wide and transfixed on the smeet as he backed up to his seat and sat down, "Well… that's a good start. How about their leader, Reep?"

Eleven shivered backing away, "I don't wanna talk about him," his eyes were teary, "Not him…"

Purple's antennae drooped, "It's O.K., you've said enough about him. What about their ship? Does it have a major weakness?"

Eleven sniffed away the tears, nodding, "I noticed one of the power cores is located at the end of the docking bay. If you can get a straight shot in, you could blow it up and burn 'em out. AFTER," Eleven frowned, "you get Jeb, Saint and Felm out."

Red went to glare, but just narrowed his eyes gently, "We'll greatly consider the thought for you. How's that?"

The smeet crossed his arms, "They better be out before you fire."

Purple covered Red's mouth before he cold say anything more, "All right, no need to start fighting."

Eleven sighed, "O.K., then. What else do you want to know?"

Red looked at Purple and shrugged, "That's it, I guess. Your information will help greatly."

The smeet nodded but before he could say anything, ZiM jumped through the door to the room, "ZiM HAS COME TO RESCUE YOU!!"

Dib and Sizz-Lorr ran in, breathless, while ZiM got between Eleven and the Tallests, growling, "You fill his head with lies!! LIIIIIIEEEEEEEEES!!"

Eleven tugged the hologram back, "No, ZiM!! They just wanted to know about the R.A.I.!!"

ZiM pulled the smeet back, "How does ZiM know they didn't brainwash you to say that?!"

The smeet began to tear up, "I no know."

The hologram patted Eleven's back, "You were not brainwashed, ZiM can tell."

The Tallests each took a long drink from their sodas, needing the extra sugar and caffeine.

-

Ray bustled past a group of engineers, not really rushing to his destination. He was always late during these meetings anyway. He did take the time, however to observe a set of nicely sculpted hips on a female engineer, remembering a few moments later that he was supposed to be going somewhere.

He quickened his pace and stopped in front of the boiler room door, waiting for it to open for him.

Two female Irks were waiting inside and he smirked, "You two look lonely. Need some… comfort?"

The first one glared, her eyes a light purple. She had black pants, boots and gloves but worked her purple shirt like a dress.

She scoffed, "Honestly, Ray, how on IRK did we get paired up with you?!"

The second one held the same expression. She too had purple eyes, but were much darker and matched her dress-like shirt. She also sported black pants, gloves and boots.

Ray's eyes were tracing the curves the second female sported, both full and appealing, "Sorry, Brioli," he said to the first female, "I was lost in Giani's nice bounce."

Both girls gasped and glared, ready to pound the Irk out of the disrespectful male, but knew that was what he wanted.

Brioli set down the clipboard she was holding, "Look, we got another call from… her."

Ray's eyes widened, but then quickly softened, "And she's fine I assume?"

Giani nodded, "She knows the smeet is here. Ray… she picked you."

Ray smirked, "Naturally, she chose the strongest and most skilled. I'll pick him up on the way out," the Irk went to leave, but turned back as he was exiting, "You two want me to pick up some fries on the way out? Take a few minutes, but fries are always worth it."

The females rolled their eyes and glared, but Brioli sighed, "Ray," he stopped, "Chi says 'hello'."

Ray left the boiler room with a smile.

-

Eleven kicked gently in his sleep and then curled up again. He felt so safe. ZiM's PAK rested carefully next to the smeet's head, sharing the pillow and giving some space between Eleven and Dib, who was also sound asleep next to the PAK.

Ray's eyes reflected sadistically in the dark as he watched all three of them. It had taken no effort in breaking in to the room seeing as he was the one who designed the locking mechanism in case he needed to… 'comfort' a lonely female. He smiled to himself, hoping that sooner or later he would have time to do such a thing.

Eleven whimpered in his sleep and turned away from ZiM's PAK, deep in a dream state. Ray snuck closer to the bed, realizing that this moment would be perfect in taking the smeet. The tall Irk's hand reached out and slowly pulled the blankets off the smeet, making it easier for him to scoop him up. Ray smirked, putting a hand under Eleven's head and legs, lifting him from the bed.

The Irk sneered, leaning down next to ZiM's PAK, "Too easy," he whispered.

Dib stirred in his sleep and slowly opened his eyes, his red optical orbs falling on Ray's slinking form and Eleven's missing form.

The Irk snapped up, "HEY!!"

Ray's shoulder's tensed and ZiM's hologram kicked in, but it was Eleven's slow wakening and sudden scream that got the fight moving. ZiM lunged at the tall Irk, forcing Ray to drop the smeet, and pinned him easily to the ground. Dib jumped down from the bed and helped Eleven up, both running for under the bed.

Ray hissed as he threw ZiM off and grabbed Eleven by the ankle, pulling him back. The smeet squeaked in pain when the tall Irk put him in a headlock, struggling against his assailant. Ray sneered at ZiM, knowing this was killing the PAK on the inside. His victory was short lived, however, when he felt the smeet begin to bite his arm. Ray ignored the pain, but winced when he felt the bite deepen and finally cried out when Eleven's jaw bit through his flesh and cracked the bone.

The tall Irk dropped the smeet and ran out of the room, cradling his broken arm. ZiM rushed to his smeet while Dib ran out into the hallway.

"Eleven?" ZiM set the smeet on his lap, "Are you safe?"

The smeet whimpered, "I didn't want to hurt him… but…" he nuzzled against the hologram.

ZiM laughed, hugging Eleven, "Are you kidding? That was brilliant!! ZiM has never seen anything funnier!!"

Dib growled as he entered the room, "He got away. I couldn't follow him."

The hologram shook his head, "It's fine, Dib-filth. He did not get Eleven, so all is fine," ZiM giggled, "He did get a broken arm, though."

-

Ray cursed loudly as he strapped himself into a seat next to Giani, ignoring the look he was getting from Brioli.

"I almost had him," he winced as Giani took off his glove and rolled up his sleeve, "I nearly had him and then that stupid Dib woke up!!"

Brioli started the ship and lifted off, "Well YOU are going to be the one who tells Chi what happened. Giani, do what you can for him back there, would ya?"

"Already on it," she smirked, applying pressure to Ray's wound causing him to cry out, "His bone is fractured AND he needs stitches."

Brioli's eyes widened, "From a bite?" their ship left the Massive's docking bay and steered clear, "Are you sure?"

Ray tried to regulate his breathing, "That little freak was built in a lab to do such things. I'm sure he could've done a whole lot worse if he tried."

Giani giggled, "He did this without even trying?" she applied more pressure, enjoying the pained screams coming from Ray's mouth, "Serves you right, you jerk."

Ray's eyes began to tear as she finally began to patch his arm up.

--

**I'm tired. VERY tired. I right these past eleven at night, so… yes, I AM tired. R&R cause… tired.**


	22. Confrontations

**Because you guys love it so much. Another chapter, enjoy.**

--

The Tallests glared angrily at nothing as ZiM and Dib told them of the attack on the smeet. Red seemed angrier than Purple, though, seeing as he screened Ray and put his trust in the Irken.

Eleven saw Red's disappointment, "My Tallest?" he squeaked; Red looked at him, "Spies are called spies because they have the training to deceive… You didn't do anything wrong."

The red-eyed tallest growled angrily, "The biggest mistake I made was rushing with the interviews trying to find candidates to help this war finish."

Purple's antennae drooped slowly, "Look, the smeet's O.K. and he injured Ray, so everything's all right."

ZiM glared, but said nothing. Everything was NOT all right. He and his smeet were being held captive on a ship and people were after the young Irk. ZiM growled, remembering how roughly Ray had handled Eleven. The hologram reminded himself that if he ever saw the Irk again, he would break his fingers slowly for having touched his smeet.

Purple raised a brow at ZiM, "ZiM?" the hologram perked, out of his state, "I asked you if you saw Ray with anyone else on the ship."

ZiM shook his head quickly, "No, ZiM saw no one with the Ray-pig…" he scanned through his memories swiftly just to be sure, "Nope."

Dib sighed, ringing the end of his trench coat in his hands, "If there was one there's bound to be a couple more. Check the computer's systems to see if anyone else is missing."

Purple stopped a passing COM unit and whispered Dib's suggestion to the Irk. The COM saluted and ran over to his station.

Red angrily hovered back and forth, "This shouldn't even be happening!! I should be able to pick out the bad ones!! My people skills are amazing!! Right, Pur?"

Purple looked up at him, "Huh?"

Red glared, "You're supposed to be backing me!! Pay attention why don't you?"

His co-tallest glared, "You're horrible with people!! You know that?!"

Eleven frowned, "Stop it!! You two can fight later!!"

The Tallests glared hard at each other before parting and hovering to separate parts of the room. The smeet sighed, looking back at ZiM and Dib, who both looked frazzled, and shrugged.

"Sirs?" the COM unit Purple sent to find missing personnel asked, "Two engineers are missing, Brioli and Giani. The computer reports that they took their personal cruiser out along with a third passenger."

Red's eyes narrowed, "It was almost four," he glanced at Eleven, who shivered, "Are those the only two besides Ray?"

The COM nodded and walked back to his station.

Purple sat back on his chair, "All right, so not alls a waste. Three spies gone, that's good."

"But," ZiM pointed, "whatever they made or built into the Massive could be dangerous to the smeet. Or you, ZiM doesn't really care. They could've also hacked information from your systems."

Red cursed under his breath, "The control brain's strategies…"

Dib's eyes closed in thought, "Look, those plans might still be good. Were they duplicated or copied in any way?"

The red-eyed tallest shook his head, "No… then they haven't been tampered with. Our systems alert us to when something confidential has been opened."

A crimson-eyed COM unit gulped as he approached the Tallests, "S-sirs? We… may have a problem."

The Tallests stared down at the COM, but Purple spoke, "What?"

The COM gulped and looked past his leaders staring at the screen behind them. Dib's antennae flattened against his head and ZiM cradled Eleven as he whimpered. The Tallests observed their shorter peer's expressions before turning around and witnessing two large ships, the R.A.I.'s gray one and a blue and silver lined, green arrow shaped ship, presumably the N.A.'s ship. The Resisty's ship was coming up behind the Massive, taking a defensive stance.

Three separate frequencies hailed the Massive at once and the COM units split the screen three ways: the left part of the screen showed Lard-Nar, the middle showed Chi and the right held Reep's angry face. The purple-eyed Irken seemed to grow angrier when his fell on Eleven's trembling form.

Red hovered up to the screen, "O.K… lets not screw each other over on this… All of you already know the smeet's here."

Chi's deep green eyes flashed, "But of course. Why else is you ship still in tact? If Ray had managed to kidnap the smeet, you wouldn't be speaking to us now."

"Oh shut up," Reep said angrily, looking at Chi through his own screen, "No one wants to hear you or your poorly executed plans."

Lard-Nar laughed, "Some one needs their coffee."

A warning shot was fired from the R.A.I.'s ship near the Resisty's.

Reep glared, "Don't test me right now. I have little patience."

Purple laughed, "That's an understatement!! Your ship was nearly destroyed in our last fight and we have the smeet you originally kidnapped!!"

Reep growled lowly, but said nothing. The aliens' ships floated circularly in space, the Resisty's ship closest to the Massive while the R.A.I. and N.A. ships tried to stay as far away from each other as possible.

Chi cleared her throat, "The N.A. has come to speak on matters concerning the smeet."

"HA!!" ZiM jumped up towards the screen, "All of you waste your time!! Eleven is no weapon!! He's just that!! A SMEET!! ZiM will not allow you to touch the smeetness!!"

Dib sighed as he dragged the hologram back from the screen and back out into the hallway, all the while ZiM throwing insults at everyone except the blue-eyed Irk.

Purple sighed, "He needs some serious counseling…"

Red nodded, turning back to the screen, "Look, no offense… but you guys suck!! You Reep, you weren't even able to keep the smeet for more than a day. You haven't even had him yet, Chi and…" he looked at Lard-Nar, "props to your father for the creating and all."

Lard-Nar sunk into his seat, "My father was a work obsessed being who shadowed my life because he thought I was supposed to be the universe's heart and then was sorely crushed to find out I wasn't. Thanks, though."

Red coughed, "Uh… yeah…"

Purple hovered over to Eleven, lifted him carefully and set him onto his seat, "Are you all right?"

Eleven nodded, "Can I stay and watch?"

The tallest nodded, "You can leave whenever you want."

"Good," the smeet's attention turned to the screen, "I… I need to see this…"

Chi pursed angrily, "And how many of the smeet's siblings have you killed? I took all ten of them with my bare hands."

Reep laughed, "Oh, like that counts for anything!! So you killed a few smeets with limited power, big deal!!"

Purple's gaze fell on Eleven, whose tiny hands were clenched tightly in fists, his eyes stared straight ahead, filled with tears, and his antennae were rigid. He was clearly upset.

Red glared at the two fighting Irks, "Hey, back OFF that topic right now or we'll blow both of your ships up!!"

Chi and Reep stopped yelling to stare at Red. Purple inwardly smiled knowing this was his friend's way of apologizing to the smeet for earlier, even if he would never admit it.

Chi scoffed, then waved her hand to someone off screen, smiling, "Have you come to watch me fight off these idiots?"

Who ever she was talking to didn't respond, but stood behind her. Who ever he was, his antennae were bent out of shape but the right and left appendage matched the other perfectly. He had stunning red eyes, both narrowed, and his left eye sported a scar which was in the shape of an 'S'. It was miraculous that whatever had cut him hadn't made him blind, just as Saint was spared the handicap. He wore a deep red shirt that had no sleeves and was cut on the sides all the way down to the ends. His long sleeved undershirt was a reddish gray color, striped, and a belt was wrapped around both shirts, holding them close to his body. His gloves and boots were gray, but his boots had deep red heels and rims on the top. The only thing on the Irk that seemed the least bit bright were his light gray pants.

Chi smiled, "You've all heard about S.S., have you not?"

A loud shout was heard from Reep's side of the screen as Reep himself was forced out of the picture and Saint took his place.

"Where?!" he shouted, "is that HIM?!"

S.S. raised a brow at Saint, visibly uninterested.

Saint glared in disappointment, "Geez, I thought he was going to be taller!!"

Reep shouted something at Saint from the side and the red-eyed Irk rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah, sorry I was spying on you, blah blah here's your seat back," Saint got up and left, allowing Reep to take his seat back.

Reep's eye twitched, "I can't remember why I made him a permanent part of the group…"

Saint's face appeared back behind Reep, "Hey, yeah forgot something," he looked at Eleven, "Felm and Jeb say 'hello' and good luck on staying out of this place!!"

Reep turned around, angry, "GET THE IRK OUT OF HERE!!"

Saint threw up a quick thumbs up before bolting out of the room leaving Reep to rub his temples feverishly.

Lard-Nar laughed, "HA!! Can't even control your own soldiers, eh Reep?"

Eleven felt S.S.'s stare as the adults continued to… negotiate. While it wasn't the right word, they weren't exactly destroying each other either.

The smeet finally looked up from where he was staring and he and S.S.'s eyes met. It was an uneasy feeling for Eleven as this quiet Irken, who he never saw before in his life, looked so at peace looking at him.

The smeet heard Chi mention S.S.'s name couple times and each time, S.S. winced. Eleven blinked. He must not have liked Chi very much.

S.S. slowly blinked back, as though trying to say something, but the smeet didn't understand what it was. What scared Eleven the most was that he knew these fiery eyes but couldn't remember where he had seen them.

--

**R&R… HUZZAH!! I'm gonna go to bed before two o'clock!! … In the morning…**


	23. Pick Up

**You've been tortured enough. Here's another chapter to appease the masses. And it's long… **_**WARNING!! Major OC introduction!! Be sure to have your therapist on speed dial!!**_

--

Felm growled lowly as he stuffed his extra medic helmet in a bag, then set a towel over it. The cut on his cheek had healed quickly and left no scar thanks to Eleven's single blood cell. He made sure to remove and hide the cell afterwards.

The young medic sighed and sat on his office chair, his feet resting on one of the hospital beds to the side as he tried to figure out what he still needed to pack. Reep had sent drones to come in and check on him a few times, so Felm wasn't packing anything that needed to be laid out. All of the files he didn't destroy and his lab equipment would have to be packed last.

The medic sighed again and arched his back as he groaned, putting his face in his hands. He was doing this. Slowly but surely, nearly everything had been packed and he had his personal medical ship parked closest to the entrance. All he needed to do was to appear busy. Reep had made the mistake of making his drones consistent as they were checking on Felm every forty-five to fifty minutes. It would take just a little under that to get all of the medic's luggage out of the lab and into the ship before they got back.

The magenta-eyed Irk smiled as he snuggled into his chair, "First," he mumbled to himself, envisioning his plan, "I get half of my bags to the ship and pack them in the back… About twenty minutes? Maybe…" he took a deep breath and released it slowly, "Then take half of the rest in the lab down… fifteen, tops…" he slowly opened his eyes, "Wait for the drones to make their rounds… then quickly pack the rest and run down to the ship… twenty-five minutes…"

"Take Jeb with you," a voice sounded, "one minute."

Felm shot up from his chair and fell hard on the ground.

Jeb glared at him from the entrance to his lab, holding two large duffle bags, "I'm coming too."

Felm's eyes locked with the young commander's, "Jeb, you can't. I won't drag you into this just because of what happened earlier."

Jeb tossed his luggage next to Felm's and sat on the hospital bed, "What happened earlier," he said harshly, "is not the only thing moving me," he helped the medic up and sat him next to him, "I saw a friend get hurt because of what he believed was right. And he _was_ right. But that's not the only thing. I can't stay here either and you know it."

Felm blinked, took a deep breath and held it, "Jeb…"

The purple-eyed Irk shook his head and looked away, "If Reep hurt you under self control, think of what he'll do without it. Maybe… maybe we can get to the Tallests and help them…"

Felm smiled, rubbing his friend's back, "We could. What about Saint? Are we leaving him here?"

Jeb nodded, "I saw you packing earlier and I told him. He said he needed to stay to help Eleven if he got back here and to drive Reep off of us if he found out we were missing. He helped me pack my things… and sent me down here."

The medic smiled, "I'm going to be making a trip in about two minutes. Will you be ready to move then?"

Jeb looked up, an unrecognizable shine in his eyes, "Yeah. I'm ready."

-

The last of the luggage Felm had decided to pack was thrown on top of the pile that had accumulated in the back of the medic's ship.

Jeb squeaked with satisfaction as he ran to the front, "Shot gun!!"

Felm shook his head as he made his way to the front and laughed to himself as he got in, watching Jeb snuggling into one of his many passenger seats. This ship was similar to the one Saint piloted with a large storage compartment in the back and lined seats made to drop off soldiers during a battle.

The young medic let out a nervous breath as he strapped himself in and lowered the windshield. Saint's red eyes caught his gaze and the red-eyed Irk smiled and nodded from the ship docking information desk. Strangely, the information drone was cringing. Felm shook off the last thought and smiled back, turning the ship on and heading straight for the exit.

As the ship passed through the exit, Felm felt his heart beating hard in his chest and then the strong grip of Jeb's hand on his shoulder as the ship made it a few yards out with no resistance.

The young medic let out the breath he had been holding and took a firmer grip on the steering wheel, "Right. Reep's busying with the negotiations he's making, so we've got a chance."

Jeb let go of his shoulder, "As long as they don't take a glance at their radar… we're good. Just keep moving away from the R.A.I. ship and we'll…" Jeb hopped around in his seat, "We're out, we're out!!"

Felm laughed, "You're too excited to even complete the thought of what might happen?"

The young commander leaned over and hugged the young medic, "We're OUT!! We can go places!!"

Felm sighed, a smile on his face, "I thought you wanted to be a cook. Cooks and medics don't mix."

Jeb frowned, "Unless I get hurt on the job. The I'd have to see you to get stitches… or burn care…"

The medic shook his head, steering the ship towards a thick layer of stardust, "Now Jeb, I've seen how careful you are when cooking. It's highly unlikely that I'll be seeing you professionally."

The commander began to tear up, "So… we'll never see each other again?"

Felm turned a knob that heightened their radar's response, "Of course we'll see each other, Jeb. Just not as often."

Jeb shivered and curled up on his seat, "I don't like that."

The medic giggled, "How about this. We'll work in the same hospital and you can be the chef in the hospital's kitchen. That way I'll see you every day."

Jeb's eyes glittered, "I like that."

Felm smiled at his friend, but his eyes widened when his eyes fell on his radar.

The purple-eyed Irk saw his friend's worry, "What? What's there?"

The medic gulped, "There's a ship out there. It's probably spotted us by now because it's moving slowly towards us."  
Jeb shivered again and tightened his seat belt, "How big?"

Felm shook his head, "Much bigger than ours, but smaller than the R.A.I. ship. Possibly twenty…" he watched the ship on his radar get bigger as it closed in, "t-twenty-five… times?"

Both Irks looked out through the ship's windshield holding their breaths as a dark purple, almost black, bow slowly became visible through the stardust. The ship's metal exterior, as Felm's ship got closer, was made out of dark materials possibly to help blend in with the background of space. Neither Irk could see through the ship's windshield, but they could see faint silhouettes darting back and forth.

Felm squinted, "I count five."

Jeb groaned and shut his eyes tight, "I count dizzy…"

The medic frowned, maneuvering the ship to try and pass this behemoth, "I want you to keep your eyes shut and think of something simple for the next few minutes. If the dizziness persists, I'm going to have to confine you to one of the beds, Jeb."

The commander nodded, and relaxed his eyes as he sat back, "Yes, Felm."

A set of lights on the dark ship flashed on and blinded Felm for a moment. The medic shielded his eyes as he waited for his own ship's transparent windshield to become darker. The light, however, persisted, and the medic was blinded long enough for the dark ship's side to open up, revealing a set of curved magnets. Someone on the ship activated the fields on the magnets and Felm's ship was quickly pulled in, the dark ship's side closing again.

Felm held a hand firmly against his eyes, "Jeb," he murmured, "Jeb?"

Jeb smiled and settled deeper into his seat, "Doing what you said, Felm. Don't worry, the dizziness seems to be going away."

"No," Felm said as he tried opening his eyes, "I need you to tell me where we are."

The commander frowned, but slowly opened his eyes and unstrapped his seat belt so he could stand, his eyes wide, "They got us!! We're caught!!"

Jeb ducked under the ship's dashboard by Felm's feet and whimpered.

The medic hissed as he tried to open his eyes again, "Who, Jeb? The R.A.I.?"

Jeb shrugged, "I don't know, you tell me."

Felm took a deep breath and tried opening his eyes again, "I can't, I've been blinded," Jeb's sudden gasp made him sigh, "It's only temporary, but I can't tell where we are…"

The young commander's antennae perked from under his helmet, "Well, we can wait for whoever it is to come in here," he crawled out from under the dashboard, "I'm gonna move you to the bed in the back. You need it more than I do."

"Jeb," Felm warned as said Irk began leading him to the back, "You're not to touch any of the equipment back here. Until the person who has us decides to show themselves, we stay back here," he felt Jeb's hand lead his to the bed, "O.K.?"

The commander nodded, looking at some of the doctorish things that were strewn about, "Sure, sure, I understand," he picked up a syringe and made jabbing motions at the air, giggling, "No touching the equipment."

Felm laid himself back on the bed, "Not even the syringe's Jeb. What if I need to use those later and they're not sterile?"

Jeb pouted as he set the syringe down where he found it, "Then what am I supposed to do?"

The medic smiled, opening his eyes only to see blotched colors, "Why don't you just sit and think, maybe even listen to the things around you?"

The commander shrugged and sat in a chair next to Felm's, his eyes wandering from the young medic's resting form to one of the heart monitors and then to the open windshield in the front. Jeb's hand quickly grabbed Felm's. They hadn't opened the shield.

A small scuffle then whisper had the young commander balled up on the chair, whimpering. The scuffling stopped and someone began giggling, as though taunting Jeb. Jeb glared, trying to find the person, but to no avail. These people were well cloaked.

Felm's antennae perked underneath his helmet, "Jeb, what are you doing?"

Jeb went to answer but felt a firm hand clamp over his mouth. What scared the Irk the most was that while he could feel the hand, he could not see it. Cloaked wasn't the word to describe this. These people were invisible.

Jeb kicked hard and hit Felm's bed, trying his hardest to escape the hands of this creature. Felm glared and sat up, his sight returning, "Jeb," he turned to him, "I-"

His eyes widened when he saw that Jeb was being tied down to his chair by what seemed to be the ropes and wires themselves. The medic screamed, backing into the wall next to the bed and the ropes fell from where they were hovering.

"Hey, this guy's awake?!" a young voice yelped.

"And you thought he was sleep talking." another teased.

"You-you shut up, you-"

"Me?! You're the incompetent one!!"

There was what sounded like a scuffle as the two invisible people began to fight one another. It would have gone for another few minutes had not a loud, obnoxious cough stopped them. A pink-eyed female Irk and a green teal-eyed male Irk entered the back of the ship.

The female looked like she was the oldest, but her skin seemed to glow with radiance. She had curly antennae that reminded Felm of lace and her cheeks looked as though they had been endowed with a light blush. Her outfit was pink with lace and bows of both pink and light blue set neatly along her outfit. What stood out was her scarf, which was pink with black stripes.

The male's eyes narrowed when he spotted Felm, but his concentration stayed with the invisible beings staring back at the both of them. He had a deep blue trench coat that went down to his ankles and black gloves that hid underneath his sleeves. This reminded the young medic much of Saint, but this Irk's antennae were much shorter than the red-eyed Irken's. The male's shirt was composed of light and dark wavy lines in all shapes that seemed relaxing in a way. He had medium gray pants that were mostly covered by what appeared to be black rain boots with a zipper in the front and deep blue toes and heels.

The teal-eyed Irk moved quickly and, from the cries of protest and pain, caught both invisible beings quickly.

The pink eyed female glared first at Jeb and Felm, then the invisible assailants, "What the IRK do you two think you're doing?! Was it too hard for you to come in and assess the problem?!"

"We were just messing around," the first voice pleaded.

"Honest," the second piped up, "we just wanted to scare 'em a bit!!"

The male Irk's eyes narrowed and his hold on the two mystery Irks tightened.

The pink-eyed Irk turned her attention to the two former R.A.I. members, "Who are you?"

Jeb shivered, too scared to talk, so Felm cleared his throat, "W-we came from the R.A.I. ship."  
Her eyes narrowed, "You work for them?"

"No," Felm answered quickly, "No, we sort of… ran away."  
Jeb frowned, "No good kidnappers kidnapping us."

Felm lazily turned to Jeb, "Just stay quiet for now."

The female sighed and turned to the green teal-eyed Irken, "You mind taking Tin and Sin out of here?"

The male nodded and turned heel, the cries of protest following him out as he left the ship.

The female turned back to Felm, "I have to apologize for my two younger brothers, Tin and Sin. They're just a bit frustrated and energetic," she shook her head, "That combination doesn't work well for them especially if they haven't been resting well."

Felm shook his head angrily and stood up, "What is the meaning of all this?! Why are we even here?! We tried to pass your ship, not invade it!!"

The pink-eyed Irk, while a bit shorter than Felm, glared back fiercely, "I didn't make the decision to force your boarding!! Gik did that!!"

The medic sat back on the bed, his face in his hands, "Who?"

The female sighed, "Eleven's been on your ship," Felm and Jeb froze, "We know that. You must've spent time with him. His name is also his rank."

Felm's magenta eyes darted to the female, "You…" he stood, "What number are you?"

Her hands quivered, not use to the question, "Two," she said quietly, "But my name is Clarisa."

The medic's eyes were glowing, "The teal one?"

Clarisa smiled, "Three, Wade."

Jeb giggled, "The invisible ones?"

"Six and Seven, Tin and Sin."

Felm fell back onto the bed, "This… I never…"

Clarisa began to slice through the ropes and wires that held Jeb down, "Who are you two?"

The medic gulped, trying to keep himself composed, "Uh… I'm Felm. I'm a medic and Jeb," Jeb smiled at the pink-eyed female, "Jeb's a commander."

Clarisa giggled, "Him?"

Jeb frowned playfully, "Hey, I'm good at firing the plasma cannons!!"

Felm rubbed the back of his head, "He is good at firing the plasma cannons."

The young commander giggled.

Clarisa smiled gently as she cut the last wire, "There, you're free. And you can be sure Tin and Sin will be in trouble for this."

Jeb wiggled his fingers and smiled, happy not to be tied to the chair anymore.

Felm rubbed his temples, "Wait, you're… The clones were killed by Chi. She did it herself. How-"

The pink-eyed Irk giggled again, "If you want to know, you can come with me and we'll talk it out. You can also meet my other brothers and sisters."

Felm nodded and he and Jeb followed Clarisa out of the ship and out into the docking bay. A few other Irks with individualistic clothing and eyes were waiting around, but one with deep green eyes approached.

He looked neither pleased nor interested, "Right, who are they?"

Clarisa smiled at her brother, "Gik, this is Felm and Jeb. They escaped from the R.A.I. ship and were trying to pass us when we caught them."

Gik's eyes flashed, "Do you trust them?"

The pink-eyed female nodded, "I do."

The green-eyed Irk nodded, "Fine," he looked the two over quickly, "We don't exactly have time to decided whether or not you're a threat so if either of you does something suspicious, I'll nail your PAKs to the wall."

Felm gulped and Jeb nodded.

Gik took a deep breath, "Good, some of us have work to do, mainly Wade and I, we have to finish a strategy. You two are under the supervision of everyone else."

Gik waved Wade over and the two quickly walked out of the docking bay.

Felm and Jeb gulped, but Clarisa smiled, "It's all right. Gik's just a little high strung right now. He won't hurt you unless you really try to push him over the edge."

A bigger, taller Irk with a teal outfit and brown eyes giggled, "Or if you're Tin and Sin," the Irk had a deep voice, but gentle face, "You shouldn't have to worry about that, though."

"Ahh," Clarisa blushed, "I should introduce you to the family," she pointed to the brown-eyed Irk, "That's Ate. He's number eight in the group. Gik is number one, but you already met him," she motioned to two gray-eyed Irks one whose eyes were shinier than the other, "Tin and Sin and you can only tell them apart by their eyes. Sin's are shinier."

Sin scoffed, "Irk straight they are."

Tin glared, "Are you saying you're better than me?!"

Sin glared back, "So what if I am?!"

Ate grabbed both in a headlock to hold them apart.

Clarisa sighed, but continued, pointing to a purple eyed Irk with a dash of red in her eyes, "That's Ellda, she's number ten," the Irk winked and leaned back on the wall behind her, "Over there is Vilicia," a dark purple-eyed Irk barely glanced at them, before turning away, uninterested, "She's five."

Felm looked around and spotted another Irken clad in yellow and brown working feverishly at a workbench, "And him?"

Ate smiled, finally letting the gray-eyed twins go, "Hey, Kiop!! Come and meet the visitors!!"  
Kiop waved them off and began welding something.

Clarisa sighed again, "Kiop's number four. He's a bit compulsive…"

"You know Clarisa," Kiop began as he wired a part to a hard drive, "that if I don't finish this project soon I won't sleep for ages!!"

Jeb snuck next to him and peeked over his shoulder, "What are you making?"

Kiop's yellow eyes twitched, "A plasma based shield box that, when attached and hardwired into any ship, will emit a field around said ship that will deflect any attacks and melt any ship that tries to pass through it."

Jeb blinked as his brain fried, "Ah…"

Felm leaned over to Clarisa, "You know I can give him something that'll knock him right out."

Clarisa smiled, "I'll talk to Gik about it," she whispered.

-

Felm sat back on the bed he had been given. He couldn't rest though. He felt so useless in this place.

A soft knock broke the silence in the room and Felm sat up, "Come in."

Clarisa slowly opened the door and quietly closed it, "I just wanted to check in on you. And continue from where we left off…"

Felm laid back, "Ahh… how you're alive."

Clarisa sat next to Felm, "You've… probably noticed we're missing one more than just Eleven. Number nine… N…" she sighed, her head hanging, "He was an amazing healer. N could heal within seconds and take the wounds of others. When Chi killed us, she killed N last, not knowing that he could reanimate. He then took our wounds. We didn't wake up until he left and didn't see him again for many… many years. The last time we saw him…" the pink-eyed Irk sat back next to the medic, "He was killed. Brutally."  
Felm's eyes fell on the form beside him, "Who?"

Clarisa shook her head, "S.S., Chi's little body guard. I've learned to forgive what he did as have some of the others, but Gik," Clarisa took a deep breath, "Gik wants S.S. dead, no matter what it takes. We don't know how he killed N, but Gik refuses to forgive S.S. for what he did…"

Felm sat back, crossing his arms, "So… It's Gik, Clarisa, Wade, Kiop, Vilicia, Tin, Sin, Ate, N, Ellda… Eleven… Why go through all of this to get Eleven back? What afterwards? Are you just going to keep running?"

Clarisa sighed, "I'm not sure… Gik thinks that we should all help to raise Eleven, but so far I'm second-guessing his thought. I know he wants what's best for the smeet, but I wonder what Eleven would have to say on the matter. I mean, Ellda's living with us because she's still seventeen. The rest of us chose to be here."

Felm turned to look at the female, "How old would N be now?"

Clarisa began to tear up, but turned to look back at the medic, "He'd be seventeen and a half…"

--

**Tired… So… Yeah, forgot to tell you. Clones still live!! Anyways, I didn't describe all of them very well, but if you look my up on devaintart, you can find their pictures, descriptions about what they're like and their powers!! Now… sleep…**


	24. Speaking Up

**Tired of waiting, I see. All right, here you are!! Remember, pictures of the characters can be seen at megadoomingir.deviantart. com.**

Eleven sighed as he stared up at the split screen. An hour. Over an hour of the 'adults' yelling and bickering at each other. Chi was rather clam, her attention wandering from her own screen to S.S., who would shift uncomfortably under her gaze and lean away from her touch. Eleven watched as Chi's fingers gently stroked his arm, but he made no acknowledgement and just shrugged it off. The green-eyed female didn't seem to notice.

The smeet blinked, not understanding what was going on between the two and turned his attention to Reep, who looked as though he was going to burst a blood vessel. The purple-eyed Irk was trying to control his breathing while he tried to yell over the Tallests' ramblings. Saint had appeared in the background a couple of times, glaring at what Eleven most likely thought was S.S. The tall red-eyed Irk was watching now and he smiled at Eleven, waving a little.

The smeet stared curiously, having taken Felm's word that Saint wasn't the most evil thing in the universe, and waved back sadly. The red-eyed Irk then disappeared, leaving to do whatever tall Irks did when they were bored. Eleven sighed again, listening to the conversation about him. So far he hadn't said a word edgewise and didn't want to get himself more into the topic of conversation more than he already was.

Lard-Nar glared hard at Reep, "I'm telling you that smeet is Vortian property, no matter what you say!! After you and Chi are in jail, that smeet is coming with us!!"

Red's eyes narrowed, "Excuse me?! The smeet stays here!! No way he's going with you!!"

Purple crossed his arms, "What do you even know about taking care of Irken smeets anyhow? You'll be the death of him and then we'll ALL die!!"

"HA!!" Reep snarled, "And you two must know everything about proper smeet care!! I haven't seen you do a single thing for the smeet so far!! How do you know he's not bored or cold?!"

Purple looked back at Eleven, "You need anything?"

Eleven shook his head, "No."

Red sneered, "Yeah, it's REALLY hard to take care of a smeet."

The smeet sat up straight on Purple's chair, "I wanna see ZiM."

The red-eyed Tallest turned back, "That is NOT gonna happen. He'll ruin this whole talking… thing… we're doing."

Eleven eyes watered, "Choo?"

Something rumbled inside the Massive and the sliding door to the Massive's communications room broke off, almost hitting the Tallests as it flew off. ZiM's wide eyes seemed to be made of fire as he marched into the room, scanning the area.

"He 'chooed'!!" ZiM exclaimed, "What did you say he couldn't do?!"

Purple's eyes wide as he stared, "He hears like a thing that hears good!! How did you-"

ZiM glared, ignoring the laughter of Reep and Chi as he strolled up to the smeet, "ZiM knows things!! Eleven comes with ZiM now because you are unfit to even watch him!!"

Red glared, "OUT ZiM!! Out, out, out!!"

The smaller Irk glared back, "ZiM goes nowhere without the smeet!!"

Eleven made grabby fingers at ZiM, "ZiM stays here," the smeet turned to the Tallests, "He'll be quiet, I promise!!"

Red's eyes narrowed, but he finally sighed, "Fine, but if he says anything, he's gone. Got it?"

Eleven smiled, grabbing ZiM as his hologram dissipated, "Yes, sir!!" the PAK hovered out of his arms and behind the smeet, hooking up with his back.

Red shook his head and turned back to the screen, watching a sneer slowly overtake Reep's face.

"You were saying?" Reep pursed.

Purple glared, "You... quiet, you!! You wouldn't even allow ZiM near the smeet, would you?!"

Lard-Nar growled, "This is pointless!! That smeet should be somewhere safe until this war is over with!!"

Red crossed his arms, "And how is this place not safe? We've got lasers and guns that could topple all of your ships within minutes!!"

Lard-Nar glared, "HEY!!"

Purple waved him off, "We know, we know, not until these two are out of the picture."

Chi and Reep glared, first at each other, then at the Tallests.

Chi pursed, her dark green eyes glowing dangerously, "You shouldn't underestimate my forces. I've been building this army before either of you were tallest. Why should two idiots hold so much power and be dumb enough not to know how to use it?"

The Tallests glared angrily as she continued, "I'll bet ZiM could do a better job ruling the Irks than you two ever could."

ZiM's PAK beeped, "As much as ZiM despises you, ZiM is touched. But ZiM only likes the responsibility the smeet provides."

Red and Purple glared at the PAK, but said nothing.

Reep laughed loudly, "The both of you hardly have the understanding needed to rule this universe, let alone the heart!! It should just be Chi and I fighting right now. If either of us were in charge, there wouldn't even be a resistance!!"

Lard-Nar adjusted his goggles, "Watch yourself, Reep. My crew has itchy trigger fingers."

Eleven sighed. Watching this was like watching a puppy arguing with a blender. Only the puppy didn't know it could easily be blended by said blender. Red and Chi exchanged a few more words, while Purple yelled angrily at Reep's smug face. Smeet this, smeet that. Eleven shut his eyes tightly as he heard his fate being decided by these people. Not once had they used his name. Not once.

Eleven's eyes opened angrily as he stood, "HEY!!" he yelled.

The voices stopped, all eyes on him.

The smeet glared, "Have you even stopped to even ask what I think?!" everyone was silent, "I think that Lard-Nar needs to stop being so possessive. I'm a person just as much as you are who just happens to be powerful!! Chi needs to kick the grudge to the curb and get on with her life. No one cares what you use to do and I neither thank nor hate you for killing the other ten!! Reep," the smeet scoffed, "Reep you need to get in touch with your inner jerk and kill him. Either that or just jump off a cliff!! And you two!!" Eleven pointed at the Tallests, "You need to show more respect for the people who work for you while you sit around and do nothing!! When was the last time these Irks had a vacation?!"

The smeet took a long, deep breath, "And another thing, my name isn't 'smeet'. It's Eleven, and if none of you can remember that, then none of you are capable of being leaders of anything!!"

Eleven jumped down from the chair and stormed out, leaving the leaders of each group speechless.

As soon as the smeet entered the hallway, he felt his hands begin to tremble and his knees begin to give out. ZiM's PAK extended his spider legs and caught the blue-eyed Irk from falling as the smeet whimpered softly.

The PAK beeped, "Eleven?" he asked softly, "ZiM is proud of you. That took a lot of courage to say."

The smeet shook his head, "I yelled it… and what did achieve? They're just gonna keep yelling at each other and then one of them is just gonna press a laser button."

ZiM's PAK helped lead the smeet down the hall to a break room, "ZiM knows this as well as you, but you are the one smart enough to say it. Maybe you should lead the Irks."

The smeet squeaked, "Me? I'm only twelve!!"

The PAK beeped, "So? You're compassionate, the key emotion most leaders don't possess but just as easily need. It would be simple for you to take control with your cuteness and rule the universe!!"

Eleven stared as ZiM helped lead him to a couch, "You heard Reep. I've got the universe's heart… or am I the heart?"

ZiM's PAK set him on the couch and detached himself, "ZiM's not sure, but either way, you're very powerful."

The smeet stared down at his chest, "You think it has anything to do with that weird gold chain thing?"

ZiM's hologram appeared, glaring at Eleven, "Have you been picking at it again? You are to leave that alone until we know what it is!!"

Eleven pulled his collar down a little so he could see it, "Well… I was pulling at it a little while before all of this happened and something happened…"

ZiM's eyes widened, "Did it hurt?" he pressed a hand onto the smeet's chest, feeling for any wounds or holes, "Why did you do that?!"

The smeet giggled, "No, no… I no know why, I just… did it. It looks like something's inside me."

The hologram frowned, "You want to pull the rest out?!"

Eleven's eyes widened, "Can we? I wanna know what it is!!"

The PAK grimaced, turning away, "ZiM won't look, just pull and get it over with…"

The smeet took a quick breath and tugged on the chain. There wasn't any blood, just a soft blue light erupting from Eleven's chest. The smeet squeaked out of surprise and pulled the end of the chain out from under his shirt, observing the end of it that was inside him. It was round and blue with wisps of light blue and yellow swirling on the inside. It was glowing.

ZiM turned around, "Done?"

Eleven held up the orb, "Is… is this the heart?"

The hologram inspected it, "ZiM doesn't know… But you should keep it with you just in case. There's no telling what might happen if you're separated from it."

The smeet nodded and let the orb fall onto his chest. It fit into his palm and just looking at it made him happy.

-

Reep glared at Eleven as he left the room. How dare he speak to him that way. He severed the connection he still had with the rest of the ships and tapped a few buttons on his control panel. His ship rumbled as the engines started up and sent the ship off into the void of space. He would circle around later. There was no rush. They didn't know what could be done with the smeet's powers.

**So Reep has a plan for Eleven, eh? R&R!!**


	25. Pictures

**You guys are so patient and amazing, so here's another chapter. Don't be shy to review what you read!!**

--

Eleven sighed and scratched his tummy, giggling when it tickled a little. The glowing blue orb hung with a purpose around the smeet's neck, but he still didn't know what that purpose was. Many Irken databases described the heart of the universe as a beautiful jewel that was protected by the Guardian. It was common knowledge, however, that most of the databases were translated incorrectly.

Eleven frowned and held the orb between his thumb and finger, "What do you do?" he asked to himself, "Are you the heart… or am I?"

ZiM's hologram stared at the smeet, "You're not doubting yourself, are you? ZiM will be displeased if you are doubting yourself!!"

The smeet smiled, "No… I just wonder is all…"

Eleven let the orb fall back onto his chest, its warm glow seeming to melt the young Irk's heart. ZiM watched the smeet carefully, and finally plopped down beside Eleven to observe him closer.

The smeet frowned, staring at ZiM's concentrated gaze, "Um… why you so close?"

The hologram put his hands on his hips, "ZiM is merely determining whether or not you are sad!! For sadness would be bad."

Eleven shook his head, "I'm not sad," he stared down at his lap, "Just… so confused…"

"About everything you knew?" ZiM mused, "Or about everything you thought you knew?"

The smeet climbed down from the break room's giant couch, "Both," when his feet touched the floor he looked back up, "I knew I was powerful, but… they never told me what I was supposed to do."  
ZiM stared down at his smeet, his responsibility and laughed, "ZiM will not have you speaking about purposes!! It only makes you feel worse afterwards. And besides," the hologram jumped off the couch, "you gave ZiM a purpose."

Eleven smiled, "I guess…"

A loud cough caught both Irk's attention and turned to the break room door where Tak leaned, staring with interest at the both of them.

"I just came to tell you," she started, "that the Tallests didn't really like what you thought of them. Doesn't mean they're not listening."

Eleven's antennae perked with confusion and ZiM just edged his way between Tak and the smeet.

The purple-eyed female smirked, "While they disliked the manor in which you spoke, they've already started making plans for vacations days for working Irks."

Eleven's blue-eyes glittered, "Really?"

Tak smiled, turning to ZiM, "Mind if I steal the smeet from you?"

ZiM glared, "ZiM does. He goes nowhere!!"

The purple-eyed Irk shook her head as Sizz-Lorr came out from behind her and simply lifted ZiM out of the room.

ZiM was not quiet about it, "Hey!! ZiM was GUARDING here!! Put ZiM down you idiot!! I AM ZiM!! The ultimate destructive invader and ultimate smeet-sitter!! RELEASE ME!!"

Sizz-Lorr growled lowly, but said nothing else.

Tak watched them leave and then turned to the smeet, smiling, "So, Eleven," she paced around the blue-eyed Irk with her hands behind her back, "what do you think of me? Personally, professionally, either or. Am I innovative? Strong? Cunning?"

Eleven shivered, "Umm…"  
The purple-eyed female approached the smeet slowly, "Well?"

Eleven gulped and took a deep breath, "You hold onto grudges too much," Tak's smile disappeared, "You… blame other people for your problems. When ZiM destroyed part of Devastis, did you every stop to think that maybe you were already a little late? You wouldn't have made it to the testing even if ZiM hadn't trapped you. His little… altercation… just gave you someone to blame."

The smeet held his breath as Tak thought this over. Her eyes seemed to get darker as she glared at him, but then suddenly lightened up.

"As much as I dislike to admit it, you're right," the purple-eyed Irk sighed, "I do hold a bit of a grudge against people… but I never use revenge against those sort of people."

Eleven glared, "You said you were gonna come back!! What did you mean when you told me and ZiM that?" the smeet paced angrily, "You were gonna come back and bring donuts?!"

Tak smiled, "So you can read me…" the female's claws gently gripped the smeet's shoulders from behind, "Who else can you read?"

-

Tak pointed to probably the twentieth Irk that had passed them so far, "Him?"

Eleven sighed, "Insensitive, egotistical, brash but a little on the safe side, doesn't like taking risks that he knows may end badly," he turned to the female, "Can I go now?"

Tak shook her head, pointing to another Irk, "No. Her?"

The smeet glared, sighing angrily, "She's sensitive but well rounded and likes to help people," Eleven growled, "NOW can I go?"

Tak mauled it over, "Oh… fine, if you so wish."

The smeet jumped down from the ledge Tak had confined him to and began to scamper off, but turned around at the last minute to see the Irken female staring off into space, sadly.

Eleven stared, cocking his head to the side as he slowly strolled back up to the female, "You're unhappily bored," Tak didn't look down at him, "You're bored in this place and, as much as you agree with the Tallests, you find yourself surrounded by intellectually crippled Irks."

Tak laughed, hard and loud, finally looking at the smeet, "ZiM was right," she jumped down beside him, "It's cute when you explain things so intelligently. Yes," the female sighed, "but as much as I try, I can't seem to find anyone willing to have a remotely intelligent conversation…"

Eleven frowned, both at her comment and in thought, "What about Skoodge?"

Tak scoffed, "He's too narrow minded…"

The smeet sat at her feet, "Have you ever talked with him?"

The female knelt next to him, "No, but he's still inept and gullible. I'd be lucky if I even got an intelligent phrase out of him!!"

Eleven stood, "I'm sure he's not all that bad," the smeet dusted off his shirt, "Try speaking to him some time. Maybe you'll find that you were wrong about him."

The smeet left the female where she knelt and began to wander. He had no idea where ZiM had been taken or where Dib was staying. At this point, he was all by himself.

Eleven sighed, mentally scolding himself for not asking Tak where ZiM was. The smeet shivered. He could get lost in this ship.

Someone cleared their throat from behind the wandering smeet, and Eleven turned around, eyes wide.

Tallests Red and Purple stared shyly at the smeet, "Uh," Red started, "Hi…"

Eleven cocked his head, "What's wrong?"

Purple scratched the back of his head and began to lead the smeet down a corridor, "We'd actually like to speak with you. Tak tells us you're very good at understanding people and we were hoping you'd be able to get something from pictures."

Eleven's antennae perked, "What kinds of pictures? Of who?"

Red quickly hovered over to a large maroon door and opened it, "Pictures of the enemies mostly. But also a few of the 'former' crew."

Eleven peeked inside the room. There was a small stack of photos on a large gray desk and a few simple chairs scattered around the room. There was a window that showed a perfect view of the cloud of stardust the Massive was passing. The smeet nodded and proceeded in, jumping onto the chair closest to the desk and set his hands on the desk to help him see.

"Where do I start?" he asked.

Red picked up the stack and paced around while looking through them while Purple closed the door, "This is to be private," the red-eyed tallest said, shuffling through the deck of photos, "Anything you find probative on someone can't be discussed with anyone."

Eleven stared, "You do know every time ZiM connects to my back, we share information."

"Except with ZiM," Purple replied quickly, "It's inevitable that he'll learn about it eventually."

Red nodded, "All right, I'll accept that," he hovered back towards the table, setting down a picture, "What can you get from this one?"

Eleven stared and brought the photo closer to him, "That's Chi… She's obsessed with someone on her ship," Eleven eyes closed in thought, "He's in your photo stack and he knows that she has feelings for him, but won't return the favor…"

Purple came up from behind the smeet, "Good, this is good. Can you tell us anything more?"

The smeet nodded, "She's knows she's in way over her head. Chi thought that she would just fight you, win and it would be done with…"

Red shook his head, "But then Reep showed up."

Eleven nodded again, "Yep," he slowly opened his eyes, "You got any more?"

The red-eyed tallest set down another photo, "Him?"

The smeet's eyes widened and he actually picked up the picture, "It's S.S.," it was a blown up video feed of the Irk's face, "… He hates Chi…"

Purple frowned, "I thought he worked for her."

Eleven nodded, "He does, but he hates her… Hates her with a passion. I'm trying to read him… but it's really hard, it's kinda like he's blocking me out…"

Red and Purple stared worriedly, before the smeet spoke again, "He's the one Chi likes. That's definitely one of the reasons why he hates her so much."

The purple-eyed tallest took the photo and handed it back to Red, "That's good enough," he took another photo from the stack, "This picture was taken from a book. It's supposed to be the Irken gods," he set the photo down, "Can you tell us anything about them?"  
Eleven glared hard at the photo and it started to melt, "I could sit here and lie to you two, telling you these three are the greatest things to have inhabited the universe, but that would be wrong," the photo began to bubble, "They're jerks and self-centered meanies," he pointed to the white-eyed Irk, "Caz," then the black-eyed, "Zac," then the gray eyed, "Shadow," he looked up at the Tallests, "I know them personally. They visit every birthday to remind me of what I am… or supposed to be. ZiM hates them more than I do cause when I needed help they were no where to be found…"

Purple's antennae drooped, "Sorry."

Red dropped another photo in front of the smeet, "Here's another one," Eleven's eyes widened as he stared down at the photo, "It's Reep, what can you-"

"He's doing something bad," the smeet whimpered, "It's something really, really bad."  
Purple squeezed the smeet's shoulders, "It's O.K. It's just a photo right now."

Eleven's eyes watered, "He's planning something big and horrible and it's gonna kill everyone. Everyone's gonna die and no one will be left. No people no stars no planets, nothing!!"

Red leaned next to the smeet, "Can you tell what it is?"

The smeet whimpered again, "He's gonna use the heart to do it. He's gonna use the heart of the universe to kill everyone!!"

Purple gathered Eleven up and glared at the photo, "We need to prepare for an attack. If he wants the heart, he'll have to fight for it."

Red nodded and the three of them quickly exited the room, the smeet clutching the orb on his chest tightly.

--

**I'm going to be going back to school soon, so chapters will be coming less and less. The story will not have died, so don't worry. R&R, if you please.**


	26. Safety Not Guaranteed

**Tryin' to finish this story before school starts again, but it doesn't look like I'll finish before then. I'll write as often as possible.**

--

Reep glared hatefully at his ship's radar monitor. The N.A. and Resisty ships were the only ones who had moved their positions. The Massive was still stationary. Inside the R.A.I. ship, millions of Irks ran back and forth, charging lasers and preparing armor for a fight. Plans were being pushed forward.

Reep growled and smacked a sculpture off his desk angrily. Felm and Jeb were nowhere to be found and the medic's ship wasn't in docking. Some idiot must have let the two leave.

Saint leaned on the doorframe of Reep's office, "You know they have therapy for that," he teased.

The purple-eyed Irk glared up from the side of his desk, "Did you know?"

Saint shook his head and walked into the room, "I only found out a few minutes ago," he picked up the fallen sculpture, "Those two are making a big mistake."

Reep nodded, collapsing into his chair, "I thought I put Felm in his place. It seems my actions only did the opposite."  
Saint sat on the R.A.I. leader's desk, "Possibly… Now… you called me?"

The purple-eyed Irk sighed, "Yes. As you've probably noticed, we're preparing for battle and I need you to do me a very large favor."

Saint stiffened on the inside, quickly hoping Reep wasn't going to ask him to kidnap the smeet again. He wouldn't do it again, not twice.

"Anything," the red-eyed Irk said quickly.

Reep took a deep breath, "Because of Jeb's absence, someone will have to stay and send out orders from this ship," the purple-eyed Irk scanned Saint for an emotion, but found none, "You will need to stay here in my absence."

Saint's eyes narrowed as he stood, "You're leaving?"

Reep laughed, "Ah, Saint. When you want something done, you do it yourself. I want that smeet here and though you did a very fine job of catching him the first time, I'd feel much better if I went through with the deed. You do understand."

Saint sighed on the inside, "Of course sir."

The red-eyed Irk turned swiftly and left the office, not looking back as he headed to the ship's main control deck. 'This wouldn't be too hard' was the first thought that crossed Saint's mind as he entered the elevator and pressed floor number thirty-two. The second was 'Dear Irk, someone's thrown up all over the elevator floor'. The third, which was rather mean, was thought with hard malice as Saint wished for the person who had thrown up to die a painful and fiery death. Seeing as they were about to be thrown into battle, this action might actually occur.

The elevator stopped at its floor and Saint walked out thinking a final 'If I hadn't decided to stay, I could've just killed Reep for one of the other groups' but quickly shook the thought knowing neither Felm nor Jeb would have survived another minute without his help.

Saint sighed as he entered the communication's bridge and a small row of officers stood at attention, rigid and completely serious.

The red-eyed Irk rolled his eyes, "At ease," he quickly glanced at the holo-table in the middle of the room, "What have you devised so far?"

A green-eyed officer stepped forward, "Commander Tec, sir. We've decided the best approach is to attack the life-support tubes alongside the ship-"

Saint shook his head, visibly displeased, "No, no, no. Not going to work."

Tec paled, "S-sir?"

Saint pressed a few buttons on the holo-table and deleted the officers' hard thought plan, "You take out life support and Eleven dies, we all die, understand? Now what's worse than Reep reaming you a new one is non-existence, so here's what we do…"

"S-sir?" another officer stepped forward, purple eyes wide, "Commander Jas. We thought our first plan would be considered… poorly thought out, so we devised a second one."

Saint stood up straight and tall, "And?"

The holo-table brought up the second plan, which was the first one, only they shot at the living quarters afterwards.

Saint sighed, his face in his hands, "Are…" he looked up, "are all of you TRYING to create nonexistence? I mean, come on!! I've never researched anything on the heart of the universe and yet something tells me that if the heart of anything is destroyed, it's going to pretty much die, so tell me," he edged his way up to the frightened officers, "are you trying to kill everyone and everything that ever existed?"

Jas whimpered, "We'll scrap that plan, too."

Saint smiled, "Good, because THIS… is what we're going to do…"

The red-eyed Irk began laying out small holograms of each opposition and then a small hologram of the R.A.I. ship, "First," he began as he entered in the programming, "We go for one swoop attack," the officers watched as the holo-R.A.I. ship zoomed past the holo-Massive and laid down a quick burst of fire, "Then as we pass them, we eject Reep's combat team ship and give them about six minutes before we start firing again," the officers awed at the idea as Saint continued, "After about ten minutes, Reep will have found and caught Eleven and will have left the ship. We'll need conformation on the capture so make sure to have an open line to Reep's team. Then after they leave, we fire one shot," the red-eyed Irk glared at the officers, all of which gulped, "ONE and only one shot here," he pointed to a lower part of the Massive, "then we leave and make sure to pick up Reep's group as we go."

The officers saluted as they ran about, relaying the information they had just been given.

The pilot to the ship turned on the engines' power and turned to Saint, "Sir?"

Saint grimaced as he heard the squelching noise from coming from his boots, but the vomit would have to wait, "Reep should be at ship docking by now."

Tec nodded as he observed a console screen, "Confirmed. He and his crew are in docking and have secured a vehicle. They are ready to be deployed."

Saint stood up straight, hands behind his back, "Right. Then lets get this moving. Forward."  
The pilot quickly threw the ship forward, "E.T.A. forty-six seconds."

Jas looked up from the communications area, "Sir, begin firing?"

Saint nodded, "Fire at will."

Jas repeated the message over the frequencies and the R.A.I. began firing beams, lasers and bullets of hot green plasma. The Massive didn't return fire yet, and they needed the ship in one piece, so the R.A.I. ship backed off a bit. The pink-purple ship began to turn and charge their primary weapon, the giant laser on the front. The R.A.I. ship began to make their turn and Reep's ship shot forward and into the Massive's docking bay. They were on their own now.

Saint glared down hard at the vomit on his boots, its orangey-green color making him angry. Again, it would have to wait.

-

Reep quickly kicked his combat ship's door open and quickly shot down the first wave of the Tallests' fleet. His ten other crewmembers followed suit and shot down nearly every Irk that moved. Saint had ordered the ship to pass the Massive and then make a turn around, leaving Reep time to find and capture the smeet. It wouldn't take too long.

There was a loud tremor that tore itself through the Massive, toppling everyone.

Reep glared as he looked up, "What the IRK is Saint doing?!"

-

"Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee," Saint said leisurely as the R.A.I. ship swayed back and forth from the Massive's return fire.

Other Irk's were thrown to and froe, toppling over chairs, desks, consoles, even each other, but Saint laughed happily, the vomit on the bottom of his boots keeping him from being thrown to the ground.

"Turn so we're on our side!!" Saint yelled to the pilot.

The pilot shrugged, turning the ship on its side, Saint ignoring the screams from the rest of the crew as they were thrown about while he remained stationary.

"Oh, come on," the red-eyed Irk chuckled softly as the ship moved about, "This is fun!!"

The officers glared, holding onto consoles and bolted down chairs for dear life, knowing they couldn't tell Saint otherwise without consequence.

The ship made a sharp lurch forward, and of course, the officers were thrown forward, while Saint just laughed, his hands still behind his back. The Massive had been charging their primary weapon and finally allowed it to release the charged energy. The blast had barely grazed the R.A.I. ship, but measures had still been taken to lock down one or two levels because of a probable fracture in the frame of the ship.

Saint smiled, his eyes narrow, but calm, "Start another wave of return fire just as we begin to face them."

A young cadet gulped as his hand hovered over a bright yellow button. It was the R.A.I. ship's last line of defense.

Saint spotted the cadet, "You don't have to worry about that," the cadet nearly jumped out of his skin, "We won't need it for this."

The R.A.I. ship's green plasma bullets pelted the Massive and dented the frame of the opposing ship beyond recognition. Saint walked his way over to the cadet controlling the laser and took the controls from him, not saying a word. The cadet watched as the red-eyed Irk controlled the areas in which the plasma hit. To say the least, the Massive now had a giant smiley face dented into the hull.

Saint smiled proudly at his work and handed back the controls, walking back to his previous post. The cadet stared wide-eyed, but decided it was better not to say anything.

The R.A.I. ship finally lined up with the Massive and the real heavy fire began to hit. There was small gray combat ship exiting the Massive's docking bay and the giant R.A.I. ship swooped in, just barely managing to get the smaller ship inside without damaging it. The pilot of the R.A.I. ship began to sweat as he pulled up on the controls, their large gray ship nearly colliding with the Massive. Their ship cleared with feet to spare and began coursing towards a large cloud of stardust.

Saint sighed to himself as he left the deck knowing that because the combat ship had exited so early, Reep must've taken Eleven quickly and with no hassle other than the ship's tremors. The red-eyed Irk stepped into the waiting elevator and allowed a small droid that had previously cleaned the vomit off the elevator floor to clean his boots.

Saint picked up his first boot as the droid worked the only thoughts running through his head about the condition of the smeet after all of this was over. No way he would stay sane. Saint lifted his second boot and watched the floor level reach the docking bay.

The droid at his feet beeped as he finished and the tall Irk left the elevator, watching a dirt and blood covered Reep hold a surprised and terrified smeet roughly by the arm as he walked into the information area.

Saint's eyes narrowed, "That was quick."

Reep laughed as he dismissed his combat team, "Wasn't hard," he said hoarsely, "Dumb PAK wasn't on him. He was being watched by the Tallests."

Eleven stayed quite, his eyes on the floor.

Saint nodded, "Where do you want him?"

Reep handed the smeet over, wiping a drip of dark green blood from his mouth, "Bring him back to his room. I'll be up there in a few minutes."

The red-eyed Irk nodded and picked up Eleven, carefully carrying him into the elevator. As soon as the door closed, Saint could feel the smeet's tiny hands clutch his trench coat and tears leech into the fabric.

The tall Irk held the smeet tightly, not wanting him to begin sobbing openly, "While you were gone," he said softly, "Felm and Jeb escaped. They're not here anymore."

Eleven's grip stayed firm.

"I told them I would stay here in case," Saint gently shifted the smeet, "in case you were captured again."

Eleven buried his face in Saint's neck, trying not to tremble.

The red-eyed Irk took a deep breath, "I'm not going to allow to let anyone hurt you. I promised Felm and Jeb that… and I aim to make sure that promise is fulfilled."

The smeet stared up at Saint, eyes full of tears, "Thank you…"

Saint held the smeet tenderly and walked out of the elevator as soon as the doors opened, hoping he was prepared for what he knew would end up happening.

--

**Bedtime for me now. R&R and tell me what went through your head!! **


	27. Prizes

**I'm trying to write as much as possible. I'm back in school now, so don't expect many posts.**

--

Saint smiled down at the blue-eyed smeet and made a fake growl. Eleven squealed and then laughed, clapping his hands excitedly as the tall Irk gathered him up and nuzzled him. Saint had been making the stay easier. Much easier.

Reep glared at the two from the doorway, "Why are you still in here?"

Saint set Eleven on the floor and then sat next to him, "I have to fill in for two other Irks," he replied letting the smeet mess with his hand, "Felm would never have left Eleven out of his sight and Jeb would have played with him," Saint smiled as Eleven hugged his hand lovingly, "I need to fill in for them right now…"

Reep scoffed as he walked into the room, "So that's what was with your behavior earlier?"

Saint's antennae perked, but he said nothing.

The purple-eyed Irk smirked, "I've had enough complaints from other officers and the computer confirms it. You were acting like Jeb during the fight."

The red-eyed Irk looked at Reep from the corner of his eye, "And your point? We have Eleven now. What could have possibly gone wrong?"

Reep snarled, "Everything!!"

The smeet cringed and whimpered as he tried to bury himself in Saint's turtleneck.

Saint stood, smeet in his arms and glared down at the purple-eyed Irk, "Look what you did, you scared him!!"

Eleven sobbed quietly in the Irk's clothes, his tiny hands holding tightly onto Saint's shirt.

Reep glared just as fiercely, "You're making me regret acquainting you into my organization, Saint. You best watch your tongue. I won't be as easy on you as I was with Felm."

The red-eyed Irk kept his mouth shut as the shorter Irk turned and glided out of the room. Saint glared hard after him, not knowing whether or not to set the smeet back on his bed and run after Reep so he could choke the life out of him. The Irken was making him very angry and even more so because he didn't know what he was planning to do with the smeet.

Eleven looked up at Saint and sniffed, "Saint? What's been going on?"

The older Irk sighed and sat on the bed, smeet in his lap, "So many things…" he sat back, lying on the bed, arms spread as though he was giving up, "It's been a bit stressful these past few days…"

Eleven stared curiously at the red-eyed Irk and crawled up onto his chest, "Like what?"

Saint laughed and gently patted the smeet's head, closing his eyes, "Like I told you earlier. Felm and Jeb ran away. I told them to go on without me so I could protect you…"

The smeet leaned over the older Irk's face, "But why they go? They could've stayed to help you. And then we could have played extreme hide-and-go-seek," the smeet added excitedly, his tiny hands in fists.

Saint let out a deep breath and rubbed the side of the smeet's cheek, "Eleven… Reep hurt Felm. Jeb and I were worried that Reep would do it again, so when we found out he was leaving, I told Jeb to go with him."

Eleven's eyes began to water, "What… why did…?"

The red-eyed Irk opened his eyes, "Felm snapped and began to tell Reep what he really thought of this entire operation. He found it wrong and immoral. When Felm told him that he was happy you got away and that Reep should be listening to the Tallests…" Saint paused, wondering if he should say anything more, "Reep scratched him on the face."

Eleven wiped the tears from his eyes and curled up on Saint's chest, listening to his heart beat, "Was… he O.K.?"

Saint nodded, stroking the smeet's arm, "Felm was all right. Just a bit shaken and fed up. But those two are nowhere near this place anymore. I'd get you out of here myself, but getting you off the ship a second time's going to be much harder."

Eleven snuggled up, sighing, "It's O.K. The Massive's following us anyways. ZiM'll get us eventually…"

Saint smiled to himself, "You want me out of here too, eh?"

The smeet nodded and let out a soft sigh of contentment as he nuzzled in closer to the warmth, "I like you. You're not a bad person…"

-

Chi pursed in satisfaction at S.S. as he quickly strolled down the N.A. ship halls. Her hands grasped his as he passed and pulled him into the shadows.

S.S.'s angry look didn't waver as Chi nuzzled him, completely oblivious to the unresponsiveness of her prey, "I missed you," she whispered, her face buried deep in the crook of his neck, "I thought that little… negotiation those fools had would never end…"

S.S. said nothing, something Chi, and everyone else on the ship, was use to. She didn't mind, however, as she slowly allowed her arms to encircle her captured prey, rubbing his sides lovingly as her antennae reached forward to tickle his. S.S. remained motionless, allowing Chi to explore him as other officers and peons passed them without a clue as to what lied in the dark shadows.

The female's manipulations grew stronger, her fingers intertwining with S.S.'s, her lithe antennae curled around his. Chi made a soft purring noise as she gently rubbed her forehead against the red-eyed Irk's own. S.S. felt Chi slip something into his hand and then her touches ceased, her antennae letting go of his.

The green-eyed female took the male's chin and smiled at him, "You're so perfect," she whispered; her lips connected with his own for a moment before she pulled away, "So perfect…"

Chi nuzzled him for another moment before letting him go and hovering back out into the halls, her face placid and full of delight. S.S. glared at where she had previously been, his fists tightening around the object Chi had given him, and took a deep breath as he walked back out into the hallway, heading to his destination.

S.S. was used to the treatment Chi had given him, but as soon as he opened his bedroom door and the latch closed, it was highly apparent that he didn't like it. The male coughed hard as he gagged into his bathroom sink, feeling his spooch toss and turn inside. He was trying his hardest not the throw up, but every touch and caress from the green-eyed female made him freeze up inside.

S.S. finally managed to hold his stomach, wiping his mouth with a hand towel as he glanced at the object. It was a slip of paper with the words 'Sneak in, get him and then get out'. S.S. knew Chi meant kidnapping Eleven, what else would she mean? As he examined the note closer, he read the words 'P.S., don't make me wait long' scribbled near the bottom with a smooch over Chi's name.

S.S. found himself well acquainted with his sink as his spooch finally won him over and he met lunch again that day.

-

Saint woke with a jump and groaned as he realized that the thing on his chest wasn't something that could harm him. The older Irk smiled gently as Eleven stretched and then curled in, mewing in his sleep. Saint carefully reached over and slowly lifted the smeet off his chest and set him up by the pillows at the head of the bed. The red-eyed Irk then sat up and stretched, being careful not to wake Eleven as he stood and reached down to touch his booted feet. The stretch hurt as he had just woken up, but he allowed his muscles to get use to being flexed before standing straight up again.

There was a soft knock on the door before and it opened slowly, "Saint," Reep whispered as he glanced in and spotted the smeet, "You need to see this."

Saint stared after the purple-eyed Irk as he walked off, but glanced quickly at Eleven before following the shorter Irk out, "What?" he hissed.

Reep let the tone slide as he pulled out a small hologram, "This," the hologram popped up showing the main air duct and a small yellow dot traveling through them quickly, "I need you to find out what this is."

The red-eyed Irk rubbed his eye, "Are you sure it's not those officers that through that plastic bag in the ducts? Remember we thought it was an intruder?"

The shorter Irk smiled deviously, " Yes. I remember well," Reep smirked as he closed the hologram and turned to leave, "But those officers weren't able to throw a plastic bag down there this time…"

Saint allowed the words to sink in before sighing, "All right," he breathed, "all right…"

-

S.S. glared ahead at a low light and growled quietly to himself, pushing himself farther through a cramped mini-duct. His ship scan showed that at the end of this airway was the center to the air ducts. What it declined to tell him was how small the vent to the main center was. But the room ahead of him would lead to any other vent on the ship. S.S. sighed as he stopped to take a breath. Hopefully, he would choose the right one and it would lead to the smeet.

The red-eyed male took a deep breath and pushed himself forward, now being able to hear a soft whir, probably from a large fan. S.S. peeked out from the end of the vent and slowly pulled himself out, his antennae searching for a small noise or sound. There only seemed to be one thing out of place in this room. S.S.'s shiny red eyes fell on a medium sized vent high up near the ceiling whose vent cover was tightly shut.

The Irk let out a quick breath and straightened his shirt, quickly dusting himself off as he took a quick look at a small device on his wrist. It beeped softly a couple times before glowing a soft green. The device was calculating S.S.'s next destination. The red-eyed Irk shifted uncomfortably as he waited, feeling eyes pressed upon him. He was most vulnerable now for two reasons: he was waited for his device to complete its scan and while he was excellently skilled in hand-to-hand combat, Chi had requested the mission be silent. S.S. was unarmed.

Saint tried not to breath too loudly as he watched from behind the closed vent cover. The slits only allowed so much visibility, but he could tell S.S. knew someone was there. So many thoughts were screaming loudly in the taller Irk's head, one, which presented itself rather quickly was 'This could be your only chance. Reep will want him alive, but if you kill him, your title as the greatest assassin the universe has ever seen will be true'.

It was no secret that anyone who had heard of Saint had heard of S.S. first. Saint had modeled himself after the shorter Irk but disliked the rumors that S.S. was better than him. Saint's eyes narrowed as S.S. paced around, looking at the giant fan in the floor and above him. The taller Irk wanted to fight S.S. in a fair fight, whether this was the right time or not.

Saint's hand tightly clenched a special grenade he had made for such an occasion. If he played his cards right, he could kill S.S. and gain a title not worthy of an Irk that just looked so weak. If not… he could just capture him. Maybe even hold him for ransom. It was also no secret that Chi had a wandering eye for S.S. Saint shuddered. How S.S. had been caught I that trap, he wasn't even sure.

Saint sighed quietly to himself and stared at the grenade in his hand, its small cylinder figure gleaming in what little light the vent's cracks allowed. The tall Irk mauled his first thought over a few times, before clutching the grenade tightly and slowly opening the vent enough for the grenade to fit through.

S.S. was examining every nook and cranny, inspecting every speck that moved until he device made a soft beeping sound. With the shorter Irk's attention back on the device, Saint saw his chance and quickly activated the grenade to detonate in a few seconds. The tall Irk then hit a button on the side of the vent he was hiding in, which quickly shut all the other vents. S.S. watched as each air duct suddenly became obstructed by a closed vent cover and then looked up where Saint was hiding as the taller Irk dropped his cylinder grenade into the room.

S.S. watched the object tumble out of the vent and roll out in front of him. The vent promptly closed, but Saint didn't need to watch what was going to happen. S.S. didn't move as the cylinder beeped once and then created a bright flash that blinded him. The shorter Irk shut his eyes tightly and then covered his eyes with his hands, trying to listen carefully as the grenade not only blinded him, but began to release a white gas.

Saint kicked his vent cover off and dove into the room, his body immune to the gas he had installed. S.S. heard the taller Irken's move, but wasn't able to see Saint's hands come at him from behind. The tall Irk grabbed the shorter Irken and tried to keep S.S.'s hands from covering his mouth, pulling the Irk to the floor, hoping to get a good dose of the gas inside the smaller struggling male.

S.S. growled and managed to pull an arm from Saint's grasp, making sure to connect his elbow with the taller Irk's gut before using the back of his head to hit Saint's face. Saint snarled in pain, but held onto S.S. firmly. The smaller Irk elbowed the taller Irk again and was finally released.

S.S. opened his eyes, not being able to see things as clearly as he hoped to but saw the outlined form of Saint try to tackle him. The smaller Irk jumped above the R.A.I. assassin and grabbed his trench coat, pulling him back and throwing him to the ground. Saint gasped in pain as his small PAK was shoved into his spine, but worried less about the pain when he heard the scuffle of feet running around.

The white gas has encircled the room in a mist and as S.S. ran from vent to vent, trying to find an opening, he found that he was stuck breathing in the mystery gas. The red-eyed Irk coughed quietly, listening as Saint got back on his feet and started looking for him. S.S. tried to cover his mouth with a hand, but only managed to feel himself slipping. The smaller Irk fell to his knees, hand still over his mouth and his other hand on a low vent cover, trying to hold onto leverage. S.S.'s red eyes slowly drooped and as he passed out he saw a tall form looming over him.

Saint smirked down at his captured prey and picked up the grenade, turning it off. It would take a while for the gas to clear, but he wasn't too worried about it. The tall Irk looked back at S.S. and watched the shorter Irken's chest slowly rise and fall. He wasn't dead yet.

Saint frowned, looming over his prey again, thinking hard about the possibilities.

Finally, after what seemed like a century, his arms wrapped around the shorter Irk and Saint lifted S.S. from the floor. He stared down at the limp form for a moment more before turning to walk towards the vent he had entered, taking S.S. with him.

-

S.S. took a long deep breath and sighed contently as he opened his eyes slowly. He shut his eyes for a moment before opening them again. He was in a room, alive. S.S. was surprised. He was sure Saint was going to kill him.

The Irk tried not to move, wondering if said Irk was still around. S.S.'s eyes looked around to examine the room.

From what he could see, it was a bedroom, which was confirmed when he noticed how soft the object under him was. The was a closet across from where he was lying down and when looked like a wide living room with a couch to the right of him. A multitude of thoughts crossed the young Irk's mind as he sat up. And a million more when he found his wrists handcuffed to the bed frame.

S.S. yanked hard on the cuffs, trying hard to break them or even allow his slim wrists to slip out of them. There came a sharp cough from the exit to the living room area and S.S. looked up at Saint's amused face.

"So," he said nonchalantly, leaning on the frame of the exit, "awake now?"

--

**WHAT is Saint doing? Not what you're thinking. R&R, please.**


	28. Stalemates

**Writing as much as I can with what little time I'm given. Another chapter… for you…**

--

Reep stared confidently down from his balcony over looking his preparing troops. If rumors were true and coordinates were accurate, the purple-eyed Irk would have what he wanted in a few mere hours. Reep rested his weight on the rail surrounding the balcony, trying not to smile as he envisioned his plan over and over.

A small cough brought him from his thought and he sighed, lowering his head, "Saint," he murmured before straightening up, "Did you investigate?"

Saint stared down at Reep, but decided to keep the chat to a minimum, "Yes."

Reep looked him over, "… And?"

The red-eyed Irk shifted his wait, "False alarm," he said casually, "One of the engineers confirmed it. One of the older schematics to the lower deck got lost down there and instead of going after it they drew up a new one," Saint paused to read Reep's expression, "All the moving and battling must've jarred it loose. I left it with the engineering department… you want me to bring it to you?"

Reep waved the taller Irk off, "No… it's fine."

Saint let out a relieved breath on the inside and turned to leave when Reep spoke, "Tell me, Saint…" the red-eyed Irk stopped, turning around, "you've spent some time with the smeet… Is he even aware of his power?"

Saint shifted his feet uncomfortably, "I'm not really sure. He's still a smeet. That's all he really wants to be at the moment…"

The purple-eyed Irk smiled a soft smile, "So he does," he turned around the face Saint, "Does he ever speak of his family?"

Saint shrugged, "The other clones? Not as long as he's been around me… Why?"

Reep shook his head, turning back to his balcony, "No reason," Saint rolled his eyes and began to walk off when the shorter Irken spoke again, "And Saint," Saint stopped, shoulders high in a cringe, "I'll want to speak to you later about upcoming events. Stay in communication."

The red-eyed Irk sighed, "Yes, Reep."

Reep listened as Saint's footsteps faded before turning around and looking around the room he was standing in. It was his personal library. He had called Saint there personally, so that was probably the last time the red-eyed Irk was going to see the room. Reep sat himself down in a large, cushioned chair and picked up an open book lying flat on a small table in front of him. While the text was old and worn, the pictures were detailed enough to tell Reep exactly what he was capable of doing with the smeet.

He sneered evilly at the picture he was looking at now. It depicted the heart of the universe separated from the Guardian, the heart's protector, and a lone, shadowed being who appeared to be absorbing a light from the heart. Reep didn't need to read what it was. He had his own ideas.

In the next few pictures, the shadowed figure looked as though it was growing in strength and then it began to give off its own light.

Reep traced the light with a claw, smiling, "It's just too perfect… All that power… so easily taken away."

The purple-eyed Irk closed the book, not bothering to look at the next few pages, which showed more than just a power-filled shadowed figure. The heart of the universe's glow no longer existed and everything around the heart began to crumble.

-

Saint strode swiftly through the halls of the R.A.I. ship. From his long stride you would think he was both bored, with his hands in coat pockets and his eyes a bit droopy. In all reality he was nervous.

A small Irk smiled up at him as he checked a box on his clipboard, "Hey Saint," he chirped.

Saint mumbled a 'hi' for two reasons: it was a reflex and he didn't know the person. The other Irk didn't seem to notice seeing as he continued his work, watching a monitor and checking boxes when need be.

The tall, red-eyed Irk stopped at his room door and stared at it for a long while. He knew behind the door was a very pissed off S.S. just waiting for him to come in so he could try to kill him. Or so he thought. The last time he saw him he was more surprised than angry but being chained down by the enemy must've made him quite angry in any case.

Saint sighed and slowly walked passed the door, not ready to face his secret prisoner. He didn't know where he was going to go, but he wasn't willing to risk his life now… not when the smeet needed him most. Speaking of which…

Saint felt something grab onto his lower leg, then a playful growl. He jumped and let out a surprised 'gaah' from the sudden grasp and looked down at a smiling blue-eyed smeet who giggled and hugged the tall Irk's limb.

"I found you!!" Eleven squeaked; he nuzzled Saint's lower leg, "I thought I was never gonna find you but then I saw you an' you didn't see me and then I caught you!!"  
The smeet hugged Saint's leg to prove his point.

Saint let out a sort of soft laugh and lifted the smeet, "How'd you get out of your room?"

Eleven giggled, "I… accidentally might have broke the door…"

The tall Irken began to walk, a loud laugh bellowing from his mouth, "Accidentally? WHAT did you do?"

The smeet nuzzled into Saint's shoulder, "I kind of… slammed into it… and then punched it," Saint tried to hold in a whimper of laughter and Eleven continued, "and when it flew off the wall I walked out!!"

Saint bit his lip hard as he smiled and walked into a waiting elevator door, "When the smeet wants out he gets out."

Eleven threw up his arms triumphantly, "Out!!"

The tall Irk laughed and rubbed the smeet's head as the elevator door closed.

-

Reep glared angrily at the cloud of stardust and specks out in front of his ship. The place he needed to go required him to pass this mass. The purple-eyed Irk pounded a fist into the monitor he was currently viewing, breaking it and pressed a button on a far wall.

"SAINT!!" he growled, "I want you up here. NOW!!"

-

Saint giggled as Eleven sat on his head, messing with his antennae. They were still in the elevator but it would have been a nice scene until the loud and cranky voice of Reep made its way out of Saint's PAK communicator.

"SAINT!!" it growled, "I want you up here. NOW!!"

The red-eyed Irk jumped in surprise, but quickly grabbed the smeet so he wouldn't fall off his head. They both stared at each other, eyes wide.

Saint finally sighed and set Eleven down on his feet, "Eleven. I need you to do something for me."

The smeet's eyes widened as the elevator doors opened, "What? What do I do?"

Saint knelt beside the blue-eyed Irk, "I need you to promise that you're going to go back to your room and find a hiding place in there."

The smeet nodded and watched Saint stand and exit the elevator.

Saint looked back at Eleven as he left, "Don't come out of your hiding place if it's not me, understand?"

Eleven whimpered and nodded, "O.K…" the elevator doors closed and the smeet whimpered again, "O.K…"

-

Reep seething anger was unmistakable as Saint stared back at him. The red-eyed Irk was worried that he had found S.S. still cuffed to his bed or worse, that he had planned to help Eleven escape this place as he had helped Felm and Jeb.

Reep glanced at Saint and then set a hand on his desk, "Saint… we've got a problem."

Saint's red eyes flashed, "What kind?"

The purple-eyed Irk sat back in his desk chair, "One that could set certain events into motion," he set his feet on his desk, "and I need you to be on top of things. I know Eleven's door was broken down. Did he do it?"

Saint shifted uncomfortably, wanting to say 'no', but he finally sighed, "Yes."

Reep smiled a bit, "Impressive. Where is the smeet now?"

The tall Irk crossed his arms, "I sent him back up to his room. But he should still be in the elevator right now."

Reep stood and pressed a few buttons that were inlaid into the desk, "Good. There's a security camera in there…"

Saint took a deep breath, "Sir? Exactly what are you doing?"

The purple eyed Irk smiled and looked up, "This," he pressed a final button and a screen behind him shifted down, turned on and showed Eleven humming while waiting in the elevator.

Saint began to sweat, "What are you doing?"

Reep stared at him curiously, "I'm preparing a broadcast. The ship picked up an unknown ship near the side of us. It should be within in view-"

A loud rumble and then explosion sent Saint and Reep lurching forward and Eleven screaming as he was thrown into the elevator wall. Saint looked up at the screen as Eleven called out ZiM's name first and then his. The red-eyed Irk felt a sickening feeling envelope him as he watched helplessly.

Reep growled and pulled himself up to the desk slamming a fist down hard on a button. A loud speaker rang out and then settled, preparing for a broadcast.

"Unknown ship," Reep spat angrily, "you're making a big mistake attacking us," the Irk pushed another button, sneering, "See?"

From what Saint could determine, Reep had sent out an audio file and then a picture signal of the smeet's terrified form. Outside, a large dark colored ship had emerged from the cloud of stardust. It had made a couple shots on the ship but started to back off.

Reep chuckled in satisfaction, "Unless you want any more harm done to this smeet, I suggest you stay well away from this ship. If you get within a few miles of the ship, I won't hesitate to initiate a return fire."

The dark colored ship backed up, nearly re-engulfing itself in the cloud of dust.

Saint's eyes stood fixated on Eleven's whimpering face, but finally looked at Reep for assistance.

Reep sighed ad stood, massaging a bruised arm, "He'll be fine. I've sent a few officers down to assist the smeet back to his room unharmed," the Irk pulled Saint to his feet, "Do me a favor, Saint. Go to your room and learn how to detach yourself emotionally from the smeet."

Saint's wide eyes slowly narrowed, but he refused to look at Reep. He simply jerked his arm away and strode out of the room in a fury, his hands in tight fists.

--

**Been a while, no? But… what's happened to S.S.?? Oo R&R for the sake of one's sanity. **


	29. No Pain

**All right, the masses have suffered long enough. Here's another chapter. Enjoy.**

**--**

S.S couldn't remember what prompted him to glare hatefully at the entrance to the bedroom. All he knew was that he was cuffed to a bed and there was nothing he could really do about it. The red-eyed did, however, sit up so he wasn't on his back. Least he could do anyways.

S.S. sighed and grunted as he shifted, trying to keep his legs from falling asleep again and watched the entrance with malice. A bout an hour ago he had heard Saint's heavy footsteps come near the door, stop and then continue on and a few minutes ago, the trapped Irk had been tossed around as the ship took fire from another spacely vessel.

He wasn't happy about that.

S.S. growled angrily and pulled hard at the cuffs binding him, not caring that while his gloves were undamaged the cuffs were causing him to bleed rather badly, staining his dark gray gloves. The red-eyed Irk stared down his bleeding wrists and began chaffing them as much as possible. What was the difference between bits of missing flesh and freedom? If he could rub off enough, S.S. could pull his hands through. He might lose a hand, but he didn't care.

A loud cough had the determined Irk looking up at Saint's amused look.

The taller Irk stared at him with a bit of a smirk, "Frustrated?" he asked casually, "I really don't see why you're trying to escape so bad. I haven't even done anything to you yet."

S.S. glared hard at the other Irk, his eyes flashing with rage.

Saint laughed to himself, "Those eyes don't scare me," he leaned on the door frame, "I mean really, you're acting as though I've been beating you or raped you or-"

S.S.'s eyes widened and Saint stopped mid-sentence, hands on his mouth.

The smaller Irk scooted slowly as far away from Saint as the cuffs would allow him, his wide eyes fixated on the taller Irk.

Saint finally walked forward, hands in fists, "I don't even know why I thought that last part I'm so sorry it just slipped out I-" Saint stopped and took a long breath, "Look… I'm sorry, all right?"  
S.S. glanced up at the other Irk, confused as much as the next guy would be, but nodded slowly to show he had accepted the apology.

Saint sighed, "O.K. then…" the tall Irk's eyes wandered from S.S.'s face to the green liquid dripping onto his pillows and then the green blood dripping from S.S.'s gloves, "HEY!!!!"

Saint nearly jumped to the side of the bed, grabbing one of the smaller Irk's hands, inspecting them, "What the Irk do you think you're doing?!" he glared hard at S.S., then back at his hands, "Trying to bleed to death?!?"

The tall Irk grabbed the cuffs and yanked hard, breaking the bed frame and surprising his prisoner. S.S. found himself scooped up and set on the living room couch of Saint's domain. As quickly as Saint dropped him, he was gone, off in another room searching for his medical kit Felm had left. S.S.'s eyes were wide with fear of the unknown as he heard Saint curse loudly and then something drop.

It was bad enough S.S. had to resort to using the very cuffs holding him prisoner to escape, but this action seemed to anger Saint. How? Even the shorter Irk was unsure of the reason.

Saint finally returned with a small plastic container with a red top and sat next to S.S. on the couch with an annoyed grunt. The tall Irk set the kit between them and snatched one of S.S.'s hands, which was held protectively against his chest. The shorter Irk widened his eyes as Saint practically tore open the container and reached for a small brown bottle.

Saint glared up into S.S.'s fearful eyes, "I'm just going to clean and bandage it up," he pulled off the dark gray glove obscuring his view of the wound, "It'll only take a few minutes."

S.S.'s breath came up short and quick as he watched Saint's hand set the small brown bottle on the coffee table and then reach for a cotton ball. The shorter Irk quickly tried to wrench his hand back, not fearful of what Saint would find, but lack thereof.

Saint's grip tightened and he glared quizzically at the Irken male before him, "What's your problem? Did Chi cut you up and leave scars that you don't want me to see? I really don't care what she did to you," Saint held S.S.'s under his own and dampened the cotton swab with the clear and sterile-smelling liquid from the little bottle, "but I do care about the condition you're in now."

S.S. bit his lip as the dampened swab came into contact with his skin and began to clean away the now dried blood caked into his flesh. The Irk tried once more to pull his hand from the other red-eyed male, but Saint's tight grip still hadn't let go and as more of S.S.'s blood was wiped away, the taller Irk could see why he was fighting to keep him away. Saint blinked his eyes a few times and dropped the cotton swab he was holding. He quickly reached into the kit for a hand towel, dampening it with all of the little bottle's contents and washed away the rest of the blood still clinging to S.S.'s visibly small wrist.

Most people who would have found out S.S.'s dirty little secret would probably have jumped out the nearest window. Saint, however, was not like most Irkens.

Saint merely blinked, eyes wide and whispered, "Could you do that again?"

S.S., shocked to hear this response, cautiously took a pin from the medical kit and pricked his finger. A small drop of blood eased from the wound, stopped and retreated back inside, closing the exit.

Saint let go of the other Irk's arm and paced, rather quickly, trying to decipher exactly what he had just witnessed. S.S. curled up on the couch and tried to ball himself up, but Saint's wide stares still seemed to penetrate him.

After what seemed like a millennium, Saint took S.S.'s other hand and peeled off the other glove, "I can clean these," he said distantly, picking up the other bloodied glove.

S.S. watched Saint take his gloves and leave the room. Out of fear that he might tell someone else, the smaller Irk jumped up from the couch and followed the assassin into the other room, which was rather warm and cozy. Saint had dumped a load of soaps, gels and stain removers into what looked like a cloth washer and then tossed the gloves in with it.

Saint glanced up into S.S.'s sorrowful face, as though it were pleading with him; he chuckled, "You can stop that you know. I really don't care."

S.S. straightened up, fists at his sides.

Saint looked up at him again and leaned over on the counter of the washer as it began its duty, "Still not talking, huh?" the Irk shrugged, "I didn't really expect that you would…"

The shorter Irk tensed up and slowly starting making motions with his hands. Saint watched as S.S. held a hand above his lower leg as though indicating something short.

Saint smiled and stood up, "He's a bit taller than that by now."

S.S.'s eyes sparked with excitement and he jumped to Saint's side hoping to hear more about the smeet he had originally came to see.

Saint playfully pushed him back, "Ah, ah, ah, not yet you don't," S.S. glared at him, but the look was quickly waved off, "I want to know a little bit more about the person who wants to know about Eleven so badly."

S.S.'s eyes widened then darted back and forth, rapidly trying to think. He held up a hand and opened and closed it three times.

Saint leaned back on the washer again, "Nine?" it didn't hit him at first, but it soon seeped in, and he slowly smiled, "Nine!!! You're a brother!!"

S.S.'s eyes lit up and he nodded.

Saint frowned, "Wait a minute. You're one of the younger brothers. How in the IRK did you get permission to do something this dangerous?" the smaller Irk shifted uncomfortably; Saint's red eyes flashed, "Or did you?"

S.S. slowly shook his head, shuffling his feet.

The taller Irk scratched his head, "So… how'd you do it?"

S.S. set a hand on his chest and then slit the same hand across his throat.

Saint blinked a couple times before nearly falling off the washer, "You KILLED yourself?! Made'm think you were DEAD?!?!"

S.S. nodded, amazed that his hand signals were so easily read by this being.

The red-eyed Irk slumped where he sat, "So then what happened? I mean, they didn't recycle you so…"

The shorter Irk pointed to his eyes and then made the motion of running.

"So," Saint breathed, "they saw you running away from the scene. Wouldn't they have recognized you from your antennae?"

Before S.S. could 'answer' Saint stopped him, "Wait, wait," he murmured, "Did they crinkle after your death?"

S.S. nodded, somewhat startled by the taller Irk's ability to read him so well.

Saint slid off the washer and opened the machine quickly after it beeped, pulling out the dried and cleaned gloves, "Here," he tossed them over to the shorter Irk, "all clean."

S.S. nodded in gratitude and slipped them back on, enjoying the toasty warmth of the cloth.

Saint watched him carefully, "I didn't know why I hadn't killed you before… earlier in the ducts. But I think whatever reason I had for not killing you then has changed by now," S.S. blinked, still as silent as ever as Saint spoke, "I need to help you get Eleven out of here and somewhere safe."

S.S.'s eyes glistened with excitement.

Saint smiled and walked past him, aiming to leave the room, but stopped, "I know why you don't speak," he said confidently, "You're saving your voice for him, aren't you?"

The shorter Irk looked surprised, but nodded.

The taller Irk closed his eyes, "I'm sure he'd like that."

S.S. watched Saint exit the room and sighed with relief as he left, but perked when he heard the older Irk's voice coming from one of the other rooms.

"Hey!!!!" Saint boomed, "You'd better wash that scar off too!!! Irk knows, it's a fake!!"

S.S. rubbed his left eyes clean of the scar and ran out to follow the taller Irk.

--

**So… tired… Ahh, well. You guys have been really patient, so I guess I'll have to write more then. So N didn't die now did he? What ELSE have I managed to keep a secret??? WHAT?!?!?!?!**


	30. Touch Down

**Yes, I realize I've been gone for a LONG time. Please, don't remind me when you comment… . Anyways, I bring you another chapter to this story, so… enjoy…**

--

Eleven whimpered softly as he was pulled from the broken elevator by one of Reep's cronies and led to Felm's empty office. The smeet was left there in the dark, the door to the room sliding shut and locking as the guard left. Eleven pouted and paced the room, mumbling angry words.

"Stupid meanie ship shooting at this stupid meanie ship," he growled, his tiny hands in tiny fists, "they're so stupid and… and… stupid!!!" he clawed at the air angrily, eyes tightly shut.

The door to the room was opened a few minutes later and Reep's purple eyes met with Eleven's angry little form, "Hello, smeet," the door behind him closed and Eleven stopped his antics to cringe away from the elder Irk; Reep sneered, "You shouldn't be afraid, Eleven. I've only come to speak with you. At least… for now."

The smeet's eyes widened and he growled, frowning, "I have no reason to listen to your speaking… um… speakings, Reep," and with that, he turned away, his arms crossed angrily.

Reep only chuckled and pulled up a chair with which to seat himself, "I can still talk without you listening," he sat down quietly, facing the smeet, "Besides, this may benefit you more than you can imagine," Eleven didn't respond, so he continued, "I'm going to take you to a planet that hasn't been visited in a very, very long time and I need you to cooperate with this plan until I let you go."

The smeet's antennae perked this time, "Let me go?" he turned around, "Let me go???"

Reep's purple eyes flashed, "Why, of course. This plan doesn't really need to include you that much," the Irk's eyes fell upon the blue orb hanging from Eleven's neck, "But I'll need your assistance with a safe landing and when we land and I get what I want, you can go back with ZiM."

Eleven's eyes were wide now, shining excitedly, "ZiiiiM…"

Reep nodded, "And then you'll never have to see me ever again," he leaned in towards the smeet, arms resting on his knees, "Well, smeet? Do we have a deal?"

Eleven looked down at the floor, his eyes wavering slowly, but he looked up at the evil before him and sighed quietly, "All right, Reep, but then I never gots to see you again."

The purple-eyed Irk nodded, "You can be sure you never will," he held out his hand and the smeet shook it.

--

The smeet shivered involuntarily as Reep sat next to him on a drop ship. At least fifteen soldiers had piled in there with them and as cramped as it was, Eleven didn't feel the least bit scared. In a couple minutes the ship's engines would start and he would go with Reep to this long forgotten planet, help finish his end of the deal and go home.

The smeet sighed, staring out the window next to him. Home. After all that had happened, what would he and ZiM go through to end up hidden again? The young Irk's existence was well known throughout the universe by now. He shook his head. ZiM would end up thinking of something in the end.

The roar of the engines started up and Eleven stared, puzzled, at the rest of the Irks surrounding him.

He turned to Reep as they lifted off, "Hey," he tugged on Reep's sleeve just for good measure, "Where's Saint?"

The purple-eyed Irk just smiled, "He's not feeling well. I told him he could stay behind."

Eleven quickly turned away from Reep and stared out the window. Though as the ship was leaving, he could have sworn he saw Saint staring at the ship for a moment before dropping a cup of coffee, yelling quickly at a terrified green-eyed information drone and then running into an elevator.

Eleven never knew a sick person to act in such a way and inside he felt a fear begin to grow.

The smeet's eyes widened and he kept them on the floor as the ship sliced through the vacuum of space. Reep sat back in his seat, content, as the look on his face clearly showed. The planet below them, which actually looked like a giant, round asteroid, held exactly what he wanted. The smeet beside him didn't know, however, was that to obtain it would take drastic measures.

Eleven gulped then squeaked when the drop ship creaked and shuddered, but Reep just set a hand on the smeet's shoulder, that same, sickly sweet smile on his face, "Relax, the ship's just preparing to land…"

Eleven whimpered on the inside, now completely terrified of what Reep was actually thinking at that moment. But true to Reep's filthy word, the ship landed a few minutes later with a bit of a bump. The smeet clung to his seat, claws now imbedded into the fabric.

Reep laughed quietly and pried the smeet from the chair as the door to the ship flew open, the soldiers running out, guns drawn. The purple-eyed Irk followed them shortly after, Eleven balanced nicely on his hip like the little smeet he was.

One of the soldiers saluted, said nothing and pointed to an old looking machine. Eleven's eyes widened and he instantly reached out, silently making it obvious that he wanted down to be able to inspect this machine. And Reep obliged, setting the smeet on his feet and watched him run over to the ruins, both interested and excited.

As Eleven inspected the machine, which was actually made out of mostly rocks rather than metals, Reep motioned over to one of the soldiers, whispering something to him.

The ruins themselves were actually quite impressive. A large platform sat to the side of it and hovering over it looked like the glassy end of a kaleidoscope, making Eleven giggle happily when he took a quick peek at it. Next to the platform was what appeared to be an ancient computer console and in the middle of it was a tiny, round hole that looked to go on nearly forever. Eleven thumbed the jewel hanging around his neck nervously and in aww, his eyes entranced by the console before him. He didn't even notice when a group of the soldiers encircled him.

The soldier Reep had been talking to before came up behind the smeet and held his arms back. The smeet, in turn, squealed, unsure of what was going to befall him. But he had an idea what was going to happen when Reep knelt down next to him and lifted the necklace from him.

Eleven glared at the older Irk, "Give 'em back, he's MINE!!!!" the smeet kicked out at the laughing Reep, growling and screaming, "HE'S NOT YOURS!!!"

Reep smirked, "'He' my dear smeet? What are you talking about?"

Eleven glared, his eyes laced with red, "I. Just. Know," he breathed, "Now give'em back!!!"

He kicked out again, but Reep only chuckled and patted his head, walking over to the platform and allowing the jewel to hover where he set it; Eleven didn't say anything. He only observed.

Reep looked over at the soldier holding the smeet, "Bring him here."

The soldier nodded and dragged Eleven by the arms to Reep's side.

Reep smiled down at the smeet, "Do you know what I'm doing, smeet?"

Eleven growled.

The purple-eyed Irk chuckled again, "I didn't think so…" he turned back to the machine's computer console and his eyes suddenly widened, "Uh… hmm…"

Eleven scoffed, "You dun even know what you're doing!!"

Reep looked back, glaring and teeth bared, "Shut UP, smeet!!! I know with what I'm dealing," he turned back to the console, "I just don't know how to get you inside… this." he motioned towards the tiny, endless hole in the console.

Eleven's eyes boggled, "I can't fit in THAT!!! Are you CRAZY?!?!?"

One of the soldiers coughed, then saluted respectfully, "Ah, sir? May I suggest something?"

Reep only glared at him, rolling his eyes, "Fine. What did YOU have in mind?"

The soldier stepped forward, grabbed Eleven's arm and shoved his hand into the console's gapping mouth. The soldier stepped back triumphantly and looked to Reep for a conformation of his good work, but the purple-eyed Irk only growled and pulled the smeet from the ruined terminal, dragging him to the now glowing platform.

Eleven felt something deep inside him now grow fearful of the kaleidoscope-like platform that he had giggled playfully at before. It glowed brighter, more powerful, as Reep pulled the smeet closer toward it without Eleven's free will. The blue-eyed Irk whimpered frightfully when Reep tore from it's hovering position, the magnificent blue orb that Eleven had called a 'he' and replaced said orb with the smeet, throwing him forward onto the platform.

Eleven tripped and fell to his knees, looking fearfully back as Reep tossed the orb to the soldier who had held the smeet before, smirking and stepping down from the platform as the soldier set the orb into the endless hole.

Eleven screamed fearfully as a force field came down around him, connecting from the lower platform to the kaleidoscope platform hovering above. The smeet shivered and sat in the center of the platform, curled up as tight as he could be, trying to get the feeling of the Irks eyes off him now.

But he couldn't.

Reep pursed in satisfaction and tapped on the force field, sending shockwaves quivering through the barrier, "Do you know what this is smeet? Do you know that it's going to endow me with the powers you posses?" Eleven cringed and Reep sneered, "Do you know that I'm going to use these powers to kill all of those who stand in my way?" the purple-eyed demon knelt down, "The Tallests, the Resisty, the N.A. and ZiM… they will all die by my hands… and you-"

An explosion boomed near Reep's drop ship, throwing debris and rocks at the now battle-ready soldiers. Reep glared angrily and stood, his eyes laced with a demonic light as a fleet of ships from each group hovered over the planet. Among the Tallest's ships was a purple Voot with two silhouetted figures inside.

Eleven looked up, staring hard at that ship, his eyes wavering, "ZiM…" he buried his face in his knees, crying, "ZiM…"

ZiM stared hatefully at Reep as his ship hovered just above the planet's crust and the Voot's windshield came up, revealing the hologram's angry face and Dib's glaring expression, "REEP!!!" ZiM shouted, "You ugly, stupid filthy FILTH!!!! Release the smeet and ZiM will only partly kill you!!!"

Reep only sneered, looking back at his group of soldiers, "How quickly did you manage the rest of our fleet?"

The group snickered as their own fleet assembled behind them.

Reep's purple eyes flashed, "That's what I thought…"

Eleven stared helplessly at ZiM, his tiny hands in tiny fists as he stood. There was a strange bout of energy and as the smeet's teary eyes searched rapidly, he screamed. Reep looked back at his prisoner, noticing the force field around the smeet was slowly closing in on him. Within minutes, the field would concentrate into a beam.

Reep sneered, gazing back at ZiM and the fleet behind him, "Good luck. In minutes, that beam will tear his powers from him," he cackled, "And I'll be there to absorb them all."

ZiM growled and shot his ship forward, lasers blasting at Reep's fleet.

And so had begun the battle for the heart of the universe.

--

**And it's slowly coming to an end. Five more chapters after this, but what could happen in those? R&R 'cause… I guess there's a button for it.**


	31. Warfare

**Decided to continue on 'cause I'm random like that. ^^ Keep reading if you actually like the story. This next part is actually kind of jumpy, but I wrote it that way so you could see all different sides of the battle!!**

--

Eleven quivered and crouched low as ships of all colors and from all sides landed, dispensing soldiers, while others flew in the air, much like ZiM's ship, and blasted enemies out of the sky. The smeet couldn't watch Irks and aliens alike destroying each other, so he stayed crouched, his arms covering his head as he waited.

ZiM would save him. He always had. _ZiM_.

The holographic Irk had landed the ship as close as he could to the platform, jumping out and tackling a soldier who sported the N.A. group logo and pinned him to the ground. All around him lasers were firing, spider legs were being thrown into opposing enemies, bombs went off. The sound was deafening.

A large Empire drop ship landed and shook the ground beneath the battle, opening its doors to reveal even the Tallests were going in for the fight. They were surrounded by soldiers and each leader held a look of terror, but nonetheless, they had decided to hover onto the battlefield. A few enemy soldiers quickly took notice of the Tallests' arrival and steadied their aim, but were gunned down just as quickly by a fleet from the Resisty's flotilla.

Off in the distance, a large, dark purple ship landed, swiftly dispensing Felm, Jeb and the team of clones. Some of the battling soldiers didn't know what to expect from these strange Irks, but challenged them any way, firing at the newly dropped troops and at the other soldiers they were fighting prior.

They didn't last long.

As the clones made heavy head way through the mass of fighting Irks using the gifts both Vortians and genetic purity could give them, Saint's ship finally made its touchdown, just beyond the reach of laser fire.

Saint looked to his right, biting his lip as he glanced at S.S., "You gonna be all right?"

S.S.'s eyes wavered, staring hard at Eleven's trapped and frightened form, and nodded slowly. He no longer sported the scar on his face, it having been fake and making Saint rather angry, but he decided that the fake PAK was still a must-have around what he thought to be normal Irks. Saint sighed and opened the windshield, following S.S. out with a quick jump and then both paused behind a boulder to look at each other.

S.S. moved to go into battle, but Saint stopped him, grabbing him roughly by the arm, "Look, I understand how much you want to be able to help him, but from what I can see, your other brothers and sisters are runnin' around out there, too. They're probably lookin' to kill you, huh?" S.S. rolled his eyes, sighing and nodding; Saint let out a deep breath, "That's what I thought… If we don't do this right, you're going to be fighting your older siblings all the way over to where Eleven is," S.S. nodded again and knelt down by Saint to hear him better as another bomb went off, "So," Saint began, "you're going to go around and through and then-"

The boulder hiding their cover suddenly lifted with one of the clone's awesome power and was thrown, without physical touch, at an R.A.I. spittle runner, blowing it up.

Ate grinned and yelled triumphantly, the ground around him quaking with excited tremors, "THAT is for takin' my little bro," R.A.I. troops around Ate fell within cracks in the ground, causing a mass pinning, "and THAT is for being ugly JERKS who took my little bro!!"

Ellda laughed as a white-pink beam of electricity shot through her hands and into four advancing N.A. guards, "Glad you're having fun, Ate, now get your butt in gear and take out some more!!"

Ate turned to look behind him for some more boulder-ammo when his eyes fell on S.S., "What the-"

S.S.'s eyes widened and he made a break for it, running as hard and as fast as he could through the mass of fighting soldiers, enemies and friends alike. Ate glared and moved to chase after him, but was suddenly tackled and pinned by Saint.

Saint growled as he tried to hold Ate down, "I know you don't know me but-," Ate shoved him off and grabbed Saint's arm, throwing him into the ground; Saint cringed, "I-if you kill him, you'll never get Eleven back."

Ate pulled his hand back for a punch, but was grabbed by three Irks.

Felm and Jeb stared wide-eyed at Saint, while Ellda just glared, teeth bared, "Just who the Irk do you think you are?!"

Felm moved Ate off to the side and helped Saint to his feet, "Saint… why…?

Saint looked back at where S.S. had decided to make his quick escape, "He didn't kill their brother Felm. He's-" Saint stopped himself, "I can't say anything more… but what Reep's trying to do is gonna kill Eleven," he turned back at the now stunned Irks, "Eleven's not strong enough for this…"

S.S. blindly bustled past groups of hurt or fighting Irkens, his wide, red eyes focused only on Eleven's silhouetted form inside the decreasing force field prison. Each rushed step brought him closer. His eyes widened further, his breathing deepened and a smile started to form on his face as he began to see Eleven's hiding form from the distance he was at now.

So close, so close, he could see…

Something tugged roughly at the fake PAK connected to S.S.'s body and threw him backwards into a large cluster of boulders. S.S. coughed as he regained his breath and shook his head to rid himself of the dizziness, looking up across the way at the dark green-eyed Gik whose teeth were bared angrily, his metal gloved hands in fists.

"I should rip the PAK from you now…" Gik marched forward slowly, an eerie glow radiating from his hands, "but that would be too sweet a death for you."

S.S. glared hard, backing into the boulder that now trapped him. He couldn't fight Gik. Not when he needed his help to get Eleven.

Saint had been right. He was being forced to fight his own flesh and blood.

Gik raised his hand and S.S. could feel another powerful tug from the fake PAK as it was ripped from his back. It floated out in front of the two and Gik pulled his hand into a fist. S.S. was forced to watch as the PAK was crushed by Gik's ability to wield metal.

Gik sneered, a deep pain and anger filling his eyes, "Let's see what I can do to you in ten minutes…"

The green-eyed Irk jumped S.S., pinning him to the ground and S.S. let him, just staring back. Gik growled and grabbed his head, repeatedly slamming it back into the ground and all the while S.S. bit his tongue, unwilling to cry out for his brother to stop.

Else where, the Tallests had been separated from their troops, half of which were either dead or out of ammo. Both had been trying to shove the other out of a well-spaced crevice between two large boulders and while there was enough room for both to hide cleanly, neither was willing to share.

Purple glared as he shoved his co-Tallest out of the crevice again, "I was here first, YOU go get a new spot!!"

Red growled at him, "I SAW it first, so YOU should be the one to leave!!"

The red-eyed Tallest jumped back into the crevice, much to Tallest Purple's dismay and as they fought, a N.A. soldier's weapon exploded from his grasp, unscathed, and landed between the two leaders. Each had a hand on the powerful laser weapon.

Purple's eyes narrowed as he gently pushed the laser back at Red, "Here, you're the more aggressive person… thing… You take the laser."

Red glared and shook his head, pushing the laser back forcefully, "Ooooh, no. YOU take it. Maybe you can use your forgetfulness to help kill enemies and be O.K. with it."

Purple's antennae perked, "Don't we do that anyway?"

The red-eyed Tallest shrugged, "Yeah, but we press a button from a distance."

Purple glared, "Well I think you should be the one to take it."

"Uh uh!! You should take it!!!"

"You!!"

"YOU!!!!"

The Tallests shoved the weapon back and forth, each hoping the other would take it. As the argument continued, a darkly dressed R.A.I. scout slowly unholstered his laser pistol aiming his weapon at each of the Tallests. Before the unnoticed assailant could harm either leader, a shot rang out from the unwanted laser weapon and into the N.A. scout's chest, killing him. Both Red and Purple screamed at the sudden surprise as the dead scout fell off his perch and out of sight.

The Tallests stared at each other, mouths agape before tugging ruthlessly at the priceless weapon between them, now wanting the laser for themselves.

Ray had managed to find his way into the battle. His arm that had been bitten into and broken by the very smeet he was trying to get to was now mostly healed except for a bandage across the wound. He scoffed when he saw the terrified smeet a distance away from him. Ray's eyes scanned the battlefield for Chi, who had also decided that she was still battle worthy in these drastic times. She was a skilled fighter and it wasn't long before Ray spotted her a few hundred yards off pumping an Empire guard full of hot laser. Ray sighed contently at the sight and slowly walked over to greet her, but was suddenly shoved into the ground by a powerful force.

The tall Irk growled as he tried to get up, but when he found that he couldn't, looked back on his back to see ZiM, just staring back.

"Did you know," ZiM said calmly, "what ZiM promised himself when you left the last time? ZiM promised to hurt you."

Ray just glared and tried to get up a second time, but ZiM's spider legs planted themselves firmly into the ground and held Ray down.

"Do you know," ZiM continued, "how ZiM is going to hurt you?"

The hologram took Ray's left arm and pulled it back, causing Ray to hiss angrily but exposing Ray's fingers and thumb.

ZiM sneered, "ZiM promised to break each of your fingers…" and with that a loud snap was heard as ZiM broke Ray's left index finger.

Gik had wasted eight of the ten minutes he thought he had against S.S. by trying to crack his skull open and while blood still poured from S.S.'s head wound, the Irk still had not died. The green-eyed Irk was crying now. How could this horrible creature that had taken his brother still live while N had to roll around in whatever grave he resided in now.

S.S. still looked up at him with those deep red, penetrating eyes. It made Gik want to vomit.

Gik glared hatefully at the Irk before him and punched him as hard as he could, "Why do you hold on?! Why can't you let go of your life like you did to my brother?!? WHY DID YOU TAKE HIM FROM US?!?!" Gik punched again, hard, but still S.S. said nothing. He only watched.

Reep sneered as he watched the fight. They were all too busy to worry about him and his plans. Eleven looked out at the battlefield, then back at Reep, his eyes tearing up.

Reep tapped on the force field tauntingly, "Oh, smeet," he cooed; the field was almost in a solid beam now, the young blue-eyed Irk being squeezed tightly, "my dear, little smeet… Soon you won't have to worry any more…"

S.S. was so close, he could see the pain on Eleven's face from being crushed by the beam so tightly. He couldn't wait anymore. He looked up at Gik and rolled him off as carefully as possible and then sprinted quickly to the platform, spinning Reep around and punching him square in the jaw.

Reep was taken a back, but wiped his lip, cackling, "The strong, silent Irk, eh?" he stood tall, sharp teeth bared, "Think you can stop me now?"

Eleven tried to muffle his scream but it escaped as the beam finally concentrated into a perfect, bright blue beam.

Reep looked back at his loyal soldiers, growling, "Press it now!!" he ran onto a smaller platform that began to rise next to the larger platform, positioning himself as one of the soldiers slammed a fist onto a large rock button glowing an eerie blue.

Eleven's scream rippled throughout the battlefield as the blue beam began to blind the soldiers with its light, draining everything from him. Reep cackled loudly as a surge of the bright blue energy shot from Eleven's larger platform into the smaller platform and up into Reep's body.

Reep's eyes flashed with an electrical spark and he fell to his knees with the excess energy inside him. Eleven's screams ceased as the beam disappeared and his now blank eyes fell on S.S.'s wide-eyed ones. The smeet fell to his knees, then to the floor and the only sound that found its way across the battlefield was the memory of Eleven's scream rippling through the minds of the army.

--

**Well, there's that chapter. But will everything die? Turns out Eleven was the heart and the orb was Guardian. Finally confirmed now, ya?? ^^ R&R, plz!!!!**


	32. Moments

**Well, I thought about it and decided… the show must go on. Even if some people (who shall remain nameless and have never even watched the invader ZiM show) don't like the story I'm writing. They don't like it? Tough. I'm writing it, so if the person who tried to tell me how to write my story ended up getting this far: Back. Off. Just because I can write and you can't doesn't mean you can criticize the work what bleeds from my fingers. So to the rest of you who are courteous, you can have another chapter. ^^**

--

_What age was Eleven?_

The thought had been trapped in S.S.'s mind for what felt like centuries, boring a painful hold into the depths of his consciousness, but soon the number popped in his head.

_12._

S.S.'s eyes were wide as he stared at his youngest brother. His efforts to save him had been futile. All those years of planning. All those countless days and nights spent ignoring the idiots, of enduring Chi's affection, of redrawing the fake scar on his face, of pretending with lies and deception were for what? For the body before him?

Eleven's eyes, once so full of happiness and life, now held nothing. Not even the slightest sign that he was able to breathe and talk and laugh at anytime before.

S.S.'s eyes began to tear up and he reached out, as though silently yearning for the smeet to move, but nothing happened. The red-eyed Irk's hand took the smeet's lifeless one and squeezed, looking for anything left in the little body in front of him. The smeet's eyes simply stared back.

Eleven was dead.

Reep stood from where he had fallen before and observed the masses before him. It was beautiful. The fear wafting from each Irk and alien alike was like a soothing bath. Reep sneered and looked down at his hand as a charge of electricity balled itself up into his fist. He could feel other powers inside him, swirling and churning, exploring their new host. This was truly the power of a god.

Reep took a step forward, smirking at the masses, "Let it be known," he yelled into the field, "that I now carry the powers of the heart of the universe. I am the universe's sole master," he chuckled to himself as the fear in the crowd deepened, "Anyone who objects won't be with us to see a new dawn. So choose carefully and choose quickly. I'm not one to be all that patient…"

Saint glared, stepping to the front of the crowd, "You think you've won?! For Irk's sake, Reep, you KILLED him!! We're all going to die!! You only have the power to rule for twelve freaking minutes!!! Don't you realize what you've done?!? We're all DEAD because of you!!"

The masses mumbled loudly in fear, anger and protest. Twelve minutes? That wasn't even enough time to get drunk enough to forget it was all going to end.

Reep glared back, fiercely, "Insolent. _I_ am the new heart. _I_ hold the power now, not the smeet."

Saint shook his head, "You have the power, but you're not the heart."

The purple-eyed Irk was seething with anger and he raised his hand, full of electrical energy, and let the blast flow from his extended limb and into Saint's unprepared body. The taller Irk didn't even have time to breathe, let alone scream as the painful energy coursed through him. Reep pulled his hand back and Saint fell to the ground, gasping for air. Irks around him screamed in terror for their own lives and went to scatter, but stopped when the powerful Irk before them started charging electricity again, just waiting for a target.

"He is wrong," Reep hissed, "_I_ am the new heart. And I will rule for as long as I please…"

The stars above them withered as another slow, painful minute passed and many of them were now dying, the light that would have reached them for centuries to come simply becoming nonexistent.

ZiM pushed his way through the crowd, eyes ablaze, "What is the meaning of this?! Who dares try and stop ZiM from seeing…" he trailed off, spotting Eleven's unmoving form settling in S.S.'s weak grasp, "… Hey!! …" ZiM's eyes widened as he looked at Reep, "You… SMEET KILLER!!!! ZiM WILL DESTROY YOOOOOOU!!! AND THEN KILL YOOOOOOOU!!!! THERE WILL BE NOTHING LEFT, NOT EVEN YOOOOOOOOU!!!!"

The hologram made a charge for the glaring demon in front of him but was held down by other Irks in the crowd, enemies and friends alike. They didn't need to see Reep demonstrate his newfound powers. Not again.

ZiM growled and struggled under their grasp and glared when Reep chuckled at his outburst.

"Such a sad thing, isn't ZiM?" Reep held up a hand and it burst into flame, "You worked so hard for so many years to keep him safe and I took him away from the hands of life in a matter of seconds…"

ZiM yelled out and scratched at Reep, though he was still many yards away from him, and cursed in his tiny, Irk tongue. Many of the other aliens around ZiM hung their heads in shame, reluctant to accept that they couldn't say these words aloud to Reep alongside the holographic Irken. They feared for what little time they had left to live.

Reep simply laughed and strolled back to S.S.'s side, patting him on the shoulder, "Crying for a smeet you never knew? I'm rather surprised." Reep's hand settled on S.S. shoulder, "If you know what's best for you, you'll get into the mass behind us and leave the smeet behind…"

S.S. glared, staring at the small Irken body resting in a cold embrace in his arms. Hot tears claimed his cheeks and then he felt it. It was more than a scorching flame within his chest. It was all the pain he had ever been put through, bubbling over, reaching the point of instant evaporation, and then he felt the emotion of his brother's death sink in and he snapped.

S.S. roared, grabbing Reep's hand and slamming him into the ground in front of him. Eleven's body safely fell off his lap as the enraged Irk stood and tackled the evil that lied before his gaze. The alien mass behind the two gasped and cried out, but Saint's choked words stopped them from doing anything.

"L-let him," he managed, "he's got about nine minutes… to do whatever he pleases…"

S.S. punched Reep in the face, multiple times.

_This was how Gik must've felt_ he thought as he scratched at Reep's throat _when he tried to kill me after thinking I killed N_.

A rumbling in the ground beneath the ruins slowly caught the attention of Gik, who had been staring in disbelief at both Reep and S.S. and his eyes widened with the thought that maybe something in his life hadn't been taken away so harshly as he had once believed. The thought was confirmed when a geyser of magma forced itself through the planet's crust and began spilling its contents onto the remainders of the ruins.

The alien masses ran now, scattering into all directions. Gik stayed and stared, watching as a wall of the hot, molten liquid rose up and surrounded both S.S. and Reep.

Reep growled and hissed, trying everything to get the red-eyed Irk off him with his newfound powers, but every offensive dried up with the seething Irken's ability to regenerate. S.S. didn't care anymore.

Hot, molten claws came down on Reep's face, leaving large burns. They healed… slowly and as soon as S.S. could, he would rip them open again, bathing his hands in evil's blood. S.S.'s raging claws snagged onto Reep's single piece of shoulder armor and tore it off, dragging his sharp appendages down the shoulder and across Reep's chest. A large gash formed under the torn attire and bled out greatly.

Gik found himself unable to pull his gaze from the sight and slowly started to walk forward, first at a paced stroll, then a jog, his eyes wide, "N? N?!"

But S.S. couldn't hear him. He had taken Reep's head, as Gik had done to him earlier, and was pounding his head into the shrine, hell bent on making Reep's brains a permanent part of the ruins.

Reep's jaw was clenched tightly, the pain searing into every fiber of his body. So far, he had electrocuted, burnt and tried to punch S.S. off himself, but nothing seemed to work. What had actually bothered Reep the most was that the gash stretching from his shoulder and across his chest was refusing to heal.

Clairisa, through the screaming running crowds, saw Gik trying to get to the platform and gasped running after him, "Gik, what are you doing?!"

The green-eyed Irk ignored her and was about to jump onto the platform when something grabbed his boot, tripping and pulling him down.

"Oh, NO YOU DON'T!!!!" ZiM was holding onto his boot, "If ZiM doesn't get to go up there, YOU don't get to go up there!!! I AM ZIM!!!"

Gik glared at the hologram, trying to kick him off, but the little Irk wouldn't let go of his boot and the Irk's pinning ZiM to the ground had no other plans than to keep him down.

S.S. took in a sharp breath as he cracked Reep's skull open for the eighth time, planning to go all the way up to his youngest brother's number. He heard steps behind him, slow, staggering steps and a name he was familiar with, but couldn't register.

"N?"

Just a few more smashes to go.

"N? Can you hear me?" A hand nestled onto his shoulder.

Just a few more.

"N? Let him go now."

Just one more, good smash.

"S.S." a new voice, "we've got about three minutes left… if we can reverse the process, I think we can save him."

S.S. stopped, Reep's face showing he was prepared for the hit he was going to dish out, and looked up at Saint, whose hand was on his shoulder and Felm, who was standing next to Saint worriedly. S.S. dropped Reep's head in distaste and stood, stepping on Reep's fingers as he walked away from him, hot tears on his cheeks and the wall of magma finally fell, dissipating into the cracks.

Saint sighed and knelt down, picking up Reep's slowly healing body and winced in pain from the shock he had received earlier. S.S. glanced over and grabbed Reep's hand, dragging him along the ruin's platform and tossing him onto the smaller stage.

Jeb whimpered as he hopped back and forth near the giant shining blue button, "Can press now? Can press now?!"

S.S. looked over at him and held up a finger, sliding to Eleven's side and setting him delicately onto the larger platform. As he set the tiny body down, he gave the smeet a peck on the forehead, then backed away.

Jeb's eyes widened and he slammed a fist onto the button. A jolt and grind sent waves through the machine and a narrow, blue beam concentrated on Reep's body causing him to cry out in pain as his newly acquired gifts were torn from his body. The beam shot to the larger platform and down into Eleven's lifeless form.

Then the machine shut down.

No body moved.

Jeb whimpered loudly and pressed the large button again and again, but it was firmly imbedded into the console and wasn't moving. S.S. shook his head slowly as he approached his brother's form, not wanting to believe what he was seeing. Saint and Felm hung their heads and the Irks holding ZiM down finally let him go.

The hologram ran to the smeet's side, taking his shoulders and shaking him, "Smeet!!! Smeet, ZiM demands that your orbs of sight open!!!! Eleven!!! ELEVEN!!!"

S.S. sat next to ZiM in defeat and reached out to touch the smeet's hand. ZiM stared at him, but allowed it, grumbling to himself.

S.S. took Eleven's tiny hand and ZiM set Eleven down, the older, red-eyed Irk lying down beside him. The seconds ticked by and S.S. closed his eyes, his hand wrapped tightly around the smeet's tiny hand.

Felm took a shaky breath as he took a peek at his inner clock, "T-twenty-eight seconds…"

Dib pushed his way through the crowd, having been hidden in ZiM's voot for most of the battle, "ZiM!!! What…? How…?" the young Irken's antennae drooped as he stared at Eleven's unmoving body.

S.S. stared at the smeet's unmoving form as Felm ticked down the last few seconds…

Four…

Three…

Two…

One…

--

… **Is that it? IS IT OVER?!?!? DID REEP WIN BY KILLING THE HEART OF THE UNIVERSE?!?!?!? D8**


	33. Brother's Hand

**HA!!!!! Thought it was over?! NEVER!!! … I MAY do a mini-sequel… then a real sequel after this story… Yay or ney???**

--

S.S. opened his eyes again. Existence? Still… existing???

Eleven squeaked and nuzzled the hand that gripped his, "Choo?" he smiled softly and sighed in content, both tired and drained.

S.S. felt tears in his eyes again and he slowly reached over to stroke the smeet's cheek. The red-eyed Irk glanced over at Saint, who nodded in a gesture of 'go on'.

But what could he say?

S.S. racked his brain for something to tell his youngest brother. Something meaningful.

Eleven opened his eyes slowly, blinking away what he hoped was a horrid dream and met face to face with an Irk he knew he didn't know. The smeet whimpered in fear and curled in, trying to take his hand back and S.S.'s antennae drooped in guilt, knowing Eleven was now afraid of _him_. It stung with a passion, but he took in a breath, clearing his throat softly.

"E… Eleven?" he winced at the sound of his own voice.

He hadn't used it in forever and now he sounded like a dying creature. He should have at least practiced when no one was around.

S.S. started again, an entire army and its mother his audience, "Eleven? I… I'm your…"  
Gik was off on the sidelines, watching, waiting to hear the words he so much wanted to hear from this Irk. His final closure.

S.S. smiled, biting his lip, "I'm N…"

Eleven's eyes widened with a tiny gasp and he sat up, taking 'S.S.'s face into his tiny hands, inspecting. No longer was the scar plastered upon the Irk's cheek, but it was a face Eleven never knew. The eyes weren't the right color, his antennae were crinkled, but there was a softness in 'S.S.'s expression that haunted the smeet in the back of his mind.

ZiM set a reassuring hand on the smeet's shoulder, "Go on, ZiM is here to get him if things go bad."

Eleven smiled at ZiM, happy to see him again, then turned back to the mysterious Irk before him, "N did nah have red eyes…"

'S.S.'s antennae drooped, "I-I know I didn't…" ugh, his voice, "with… these eyes I look… normal…"

Eleven blinked, "Then what happened to your 'tennae?"

'S.S.' sighed, smiling, "You ever tried resurrecting nine other Irks after having resurrected yourself? It's hard work…" he pointed to his antennae, "The energy it took to do that… ruined my antennae."

Eleven stared at him, still confused, "But… then why does Chi…?"

Everyone turned to look at Chi. Her green eyes were wide with shock, her mouth agape with anger. Ray was beside her, silently cheering that he would be one step closer to maybe having her hand. Hopefully his fingers would heal well enough it clutch it.

'S.S' laughed quietly, staring at her, "She never knew… I… never spoke before this…" he cleared his throat, "It… feels weird, but it's well worth it…"

Eleven stared at him, trying to find the heart to trust this Irk. He couldn't.

Eleven's eyes began to water as he let go of 'S.S.'s face and scooted away from him, "No…"

'S.S.' looked confused, "E… Eleven… what's wrong? It's me… It's me-"

The smeet shrunk away, "NO!! No, no!! N's dead!! They're all DEAD!! They died an' they're dead!!!"

ZiM set his arms around the smeet, "Smeet, ZiM doesn't think he lies."

Eleven whimpered, clutching the hologram's shirt, "They died, ZiM, they died…"

Dib's antennae drooped. He understood the pain Eleven was going through. How could he trust someone who just claims to be his brother?

'S.S.' shook his head, not wanting to give up, "I-I can prove it. Eleven, I can prove I'm your brother."

The smeet winced hearing the word 'brother', but allowed his gaze to set on 'S.S.', "Then do it."

'S.S.'s hand went to his belt, pressing the red button in the center. Immediately, his eyes flashed to a bright orange and his clothing became gray, a shirt and set of boots Eleven remembered clearly.

The smeet still shrunk back. If this was a trick, it was the most sick and cruel of all tricks to be had. But still…

Eleven felt a pat on his shoulder and then ZiM say quietly, "This may be your only chance, smeet. ZiM says to take it."

The smeet bit his lip and stared up at the orange eyes he could vaguely remember staring at him at night. The eyes that grew angry when the twins would hurt him or grow soft when he would whimper and cry. The eyes of his brother. The eyes of…

Eleven stared at him for a moment more before crying softly, "N…" he let himself fall into his brother's waiting arms and nuzzled softly into the familiar fabric and form of the elder sibling.

N now smiled to himself, setting his chin upon the smeet's head, "It's O.K., E… I'm not going to let us be separated like that ever again…" he coddled the smeet gently, "I promise with all my heart…"

Saint let out a heavy breath as quietly as possible and stepped up to the two reunited brothers, "Hey, Eleven," he held out a closed hand, "I think this belongs to you."

The tall, red-eyed Irk handed the smeet the strangely glowing blue orb, his Guardian, and gently patted him on the head.

N smiled up at Saint, "Thank you for taking care of him… I really can't find any way to repay you…"

Saint simply shrugged and smiled, "You don't have to repay me. It's enough that I even get to wake up tomorrow."

A set of footsteps caught the attention of eleven and when he looked past N's shoulder he saw, from what he could remember, his oldest mortal brother, Gik, walking straight up to the little group on the platform.

N saw Eleven's expression of confusion and fear and gave the smeet back to ZiM, "It's all right. I'll handle this…"

N stood to face his brother; Gik's eyes were in a tight glare, the dark green orbs flashing with anger. The elder of the two took in the site of the person before him, the one who he once thought to have been the demise of a family member… and punched him hard in the face.

Gik jumped N, pinning him to the ground, "You JERK!!! How could you?!? How could you put us through that?!?! You run off and make us think you're DEAD?!?!"

N took his much deserved punishment, smiling all the while and when Gik had finally vented all of his anger and his fear to the young Irk in front of him he took his brother in embrace, hugging him tightly.

All was in its place again. All was to be well after this.

Eleven watched his brothers, knowing he was safe now.

--

**Yes, I know this was short, but there are TWO MORE CHAPTERS that need to be written. Aww, Gik gave N a love-punch. :3**


	34. Protocols

**Almost there. Just another chapter after this…**

--

The fools. Couldn't they see what they had done?! He was so close and a simple outrage from an elder clone had stopped him from taking what was rightfully his.

Reep held his tongue as he lifted himself on an elbow to look at the smeet. He was only a few feet away, he could grab him if he wanted to. A burning pain stopped the purple-eyed Irk, however, and Reep looked down to the right side of his chest. He could feel the skin underneath his shirt burning and oozing bodily fluids. He would be scarred there for the rest of his life. However long that would be.

Reep's purple eyes never left the smeet's confused and tormented face. The smeet's eyes wandered from each older face of the Irkens who claimed to be a brother or sister. N was one thing… the whole group being alive tore him up inside as he looked to ZiM, who didn't look to be phased at all.

Eleven's eyes then spotted Reep, off in the corner, who stared back with a fiery intensity. The blue-eyed Irk whimpered and hid behind ZiM's holographic form instead of the taller and more powerful form of one of his siblings.

ZiM's attention pulled from the clones to Reep and he glared, hissing, "YOU!!! Ugly purple-eyed, purple-wearing, purple… purple!!!!" the hologram pushed Eleven back for his safety.

Everyone's thoughts were now gathered and their consciousnesses focused on Reep who growled in pain as he stood, "You… _idiots_," he hissed, "Can't you see what you've done?!"

The clones glared back, each readying an offensive stance, but ZiM was the one who spoke, "You LOSE, loser!! You purple wearing loser of all losers!! The smeet is safe from your filthy fingers of lose-anity and you will be tortured forever by knowing you LOSE!!"

Reep snarled, "You're all morons!! The child is not fit to hold so much power!!!"

Saint had quickly and painfully muscled his way through the clones and snagged N before the young Irk could run at Reep, "He's not worth the energy," he murmured to the orange-eyed Irken, then looked up at Reep, "And you're not worth even looking at. Don't you dare say anything bad about Eleven."

The smeet stared at Reep from behind ZiM. Everyone was so angry, so edgy. Eleven gently shook ZiM's shoulder, whimpering, but the hologram simply twitched an antenna, his glare boring holes into Reep's form.

"ZiM," the smeet squeaked, "lets go home. I wanna go home."

"We stay," ZiM replied, "ZiM knows this will end well for us."

Reep took a step forward, his left hand pressing against the wound on his chest, "The child's power rightfully belongs to me. I am fully capable of controlling it and I am the only one who can align this universe correctly."

"Yeah," Tin scoffed.

"To what YOU want it to look like," Sin added.

Reep's PAK whirred angrily, handing him a gun, and the Irk aimed it at the group. Some of the clones stiffened, remembering full well what death felt like and Reep sneered.

"So, what's to stop me from pulling this trigger? Killing each of you and then finding a way to keep nine dead so he can't revive you?"

Eleven whimpered, pulling on ZiM again, "ZiM… we can go…"

The hologram hushed him gently, "Not yet, smeet, all is well, ZiM promises."

Reep took another step forward, a sneer plastered about his face, "Wouldn't it be easy to take the smeet then? Wouldn't it be simple to just rule over this universe then?" his eyes darkened and the smeet winced, "And do you know what I would do with your youngest brother then? I would torment and torture him until his very last-"

A small squeak behind Reep made him look back for a second, where he spotted a small hamster.

The purple-eyed Irk grimaced, "What the IRK is that?!"

The hamster was followed by a guinea pig, then another hamster, and another. The rumbling of tiny feet and squeaks filled the air and then a storm of hamsters and guinea pigs spilled out onto the battlefield, toppling over some of the smaller Irks and carrying them away on their backs. ZiM let out an agitated yell, scooping Eleven up and holding the smeet over his head as the rodents reached them.

"GIR!!" ZiM yelled out into the noise, "GIR, you horrible thing, get these out of here!!!!"

GIR rode up from the 'sun-set' majestically, swinging a cowboy hat on his tired and worn out bunny, pulling on its reins, "Giddy-up, Carrot-Munch!! We gotta save the world!!!"

The herd of rodents changed direction leaving some of the smaller Irks they had been carrying in a terrified, traumatic and screaming wake, and descended upon Reep, who tried firing into the furry mob coming at him. The rodents simply continued on, tripping Reep and carrying him off.

The purple-eyed Irk cursed loudly, firing in all directions at the rodents around him. The herd took him past the tallests, who were screaming at the furry creatures and holding each other out of terror and sheer horror at the sight. The rodents then ran up a ramp of one of the tallests' battle cruisers, taking Reep with them and held him in there until some random Irk with enough control not to stay traumatized closed the doors to the cruiser.

Everyone's eyes were wide. Some mouths hung open in utter shock and disgust. Ray had been one to take the initiative and flung himself to the ground like a coward. He was now battling a lone hamster who was trying to bite his already wounded fingers.

N slowly looked from where Reep used to be to ZiM, who was setting Eleven back on his feet, "What… was that?!"

ZiM patted the smeet on the head, then looked up at N, "Plan W!!! ZiM always makes sure to have a plan W!!"

GIR rode up to the clones, pulling on the reins as his bunny reared up, then tipped his hat to Eleven's sisters, "All in the job, ma'ams!!"

ZiM face-palmed, then pointed to the tallests' battle cruiser, "You. In that ship. _NOW_!! Shoo, shoo, go!!"

The bunny reared up again and GIR steered it towards the ship, squeezing in through a hole in the ship.

Eleven hugged ZiM's arm from behind as GIR left and the tallests hovered over, still in a bit of shock.

Red's eyes were wide with confusion, "Ahh… well, not the most common way to take down an Irk with a gun… but it _was_ effective…"

Purple blubbered something incoherently, still traumatized by the herd of furry monsters.

Red stared at his co-tallest for a moment, before turning his attention back to the clones and ZiM, "I guess the only matter we have left to figure out it is who Eleven's going to live with."

The smeet whimpered, gripping ZiM's arm tighter, "ZiM."

Dib was standing behind Eleven, looking rather confused himself. All that he'd been through, all that he'd seen even he couldn't figure out how ZiM could just be tossed aside for the family that never really cared for him.

Gik's eyes went back into their narrow position, "Eleven's coming home with us. He's our brother."

The smeet looked up, shaking his head, "No!! I wanna go back with ZiM!!! ZiM takes care of me!!"

Gik's eyes narrowed further but before he could speak, N piped up, "I'm not staying with you guys, why should Eleven have to?"

Clairisa's pink eyes widened, "You're leaving? Where are you going?"

The rest of N's siblings were curious as well.

N shrugged, "I've got a lot of things to fix. You guys have your own agenda: you want to stick together like crazy but I don't think I can take that."

Saint set his hands on N's shoulders, "Don't worry, I can keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't do anything crazy until he's a full adult."

The orange-eyed Irk glared at Saint for a moment, but looked back at Gik and Clairisa hopefully.

Gik sighed, nodding and N let out a whoop, grabbing Saint into an excited headlock before grabbing Gik into a tight hug, "Thank you!! I'll call everyday, or write or whatever!!"

The elder Irk sighed again, smiling, then let N go to kneel next to his youngest brother, "Eleven?" he said softly, "If you go with ZiM, we are obligated to visit regularly and on special occasions."

Eleven's blue eyes wavered, glowing happily, then he jumped into Gik's arms giving him a hug.

The smeet let out a relieved sigh, looking back at ZiM, "We go home now?"

The hologram nodded, "Yes, ZiM has nothing else planned. Not even plan X could be used now."

Eleven let go of Gik to jump to ZiM's side and the two started off, followed by the tallests, who were going back to the Massive to begin a long vacation, and the clones who were going their separate way.

Dib walked alongside N, who was warily walking behind the rest of the group with Saint, "Hey," he asked suddenly, "Can I get you to do me a favor?"

N shrugged, "Depends. What do you have in mind?"

Dib pointed to his antennae, "I'm not Irken. Eleven healed me to the point of wrong species."

The orange-eyed Irk laughed, "Is that all? Wow, that's easier to fix than anything!!"

A wave of magma stalked up behind Dib as the once human stared up at N curiously. The wave then surrounded and overtook the boy as N continued walking away and once the magma had settled, Dib stood up, kicking off the excess magma from his boots. He grumbled shaking, the magma from his hair- HAIR?!?!

He felt his signature hair scythe protruding from his head, he felt down to the side of his head to his ears, to his nose. Dib quietly congratulated himself, then ran after the rest of the group.

"Hey ZiM!! Wait up!! You have my glasses and I need a ride!!!"

--

**Yeah, a lot of people were asking about where GIR was so, essentially, GIR saves everyone. Still on that tired rabbit. That thing's probably gonna die soon… And N and Saint are going to PARTY 'TIL THEY'RE PURPLE!!!! DRUNK ON FUN, DANGIT!!!! XDDDDD**


	35. Breathing Easy

**For all of you who have been loyal readers to this story, for all of you who have patiently waited for the final outcome of this tale, this is the final chapter and the end of the line…**

--

It hadn't been too long ago since the incident of almost losing all life in the universe had subsided into a memory. No one spoke of it much after the rest of the R.A.I. and N.A. were rounded up and put away for their treason. And no sooner had the last traitor been captured did the Resisty and the Irken Empire rekindle their hateful and loveless relationship. All things were as they should have been.

Back on Earth, a young smeet was once again able to rest easy. He lived in a green house with an overactive robot and a hyper SIR unit. Their house sat on the end of a cul-de-sac and glowed at night while all the humans around them slept away without a care in the world. A few blocks down, was a strange and large headed human, which this young smeet had easily been able to call 'friend'.

Said overactive robot, a lone PAK called ZiM, was not on the planet's surface as the smeet slept. In fact, the PAK was in Earth's atmosphere trying to update and upgrade his latest satellite; a device capable of rendering the planet below it invisible to radar and the prying eyes of wandering ships. Granted, it would set human contact with the outside galaxy back a few hundred thousand years, but it would keep the precious babe of life safe from harm until he was ready and capable to protect himself.

But was ZiM truly irresponsible enough to leave the heart of the universe alone by himself? Asleep with no one to stop another from harming the child? No, and as much as it had pained the hologram to do so, he did, in fact call the only three babysitters he could trust with a child so dear…

A white-gloved hand gently stroked the side of Eleven's face, earning a pleasant sigh from the smeet as he smiled and yawned tiredly, lulling himself into a deeper sleep. The owner of the white glove pulled his hand back and smiled softly to himself, turning to set his pure white eyes on the forms of his brothers, one clad in black, the other in grey.

"He's asleep now," the white-eyed Irk said softly.

He stood, stretching a bit and then looked down at the smeet's little frame as he snuggled into the warm covers, "I hope he's not too disappointed to see us tomorrow if ZiM is still working on that satellite…"

The black-eyed Irk simply smirked, his arm leaning against the door frame of the room "He'll be fine, Caz. Our little diamond may not enjoy our company in the beginning, but he quickly finds solace after a short amount of time."  
The grey-eyed Irk nodded in agreement, "Yes!! Small, Little-Munch not hate what be blood and heart together. Happy, he is, when all nice and quiet ring in air and play begin with giggle."

Caz took a moment to blink before speaking, "I… think I understand you, Shadow. You, however," his white eyes fell upon his opposite's black form, "don't remember his seventh birthday, do you?"

The black-eyed Irk chuckled, "I do. But I don't take into account when Shadow ate three of the Irken guards and twelve random passersby. I thought of the moments _before_ that. Did you?"

Caz sighed, shaking his head, "No, Zac. I just thought of all the times he started crying and how we just ended up making it worse."

Shadow watched his two brothers as they conversed among themselves. His speech may not have been fluent, but the way his mind worked had him understanding and realizing with great pride and admiration that his two eldest siblings were being civil with one another. If they were lucky, Zac would behave himself long enough to go about his usual and brutal routine once their beings had left the smeet's presence.

Zac's smirk only grew, and he shifted a bit, "Such a negative ninny aren't you? He may have been upset… and traumatized, but his well-being was not jeopardized and Eleven's acts of forgiveness run very deep."

Caz stared at his brother sadly, then looked at his youngest brother, "I suppose you're right. At least about his ability to forgive," he gave his twin a soft glare, "not about it being all right that he had been hurt in that way."

The black-eyed Irk smiled sweetly and casually sauntered over to his brother's side, roughly patting his cheek, "Aww, am making you angry?"

Shadow whimpered, hoping this wouldn't lead to something much more dangerous. The twin's first fight had killed all other gods who had intervened and lasted longer than any lifetime could hope to live for.

The younger god whimpered louder, not for the sake of the twins but of the smeet only a few feet away, "Fight not, you do, lest wake from slumber, Little Munch does. Bad things wail from Little Munch and all sadness surround for many a while."

Caz took in a deep breath and released it slowly, staring at his opposite, "I haven't raised my hand to you since our battle ended. I aim to uphold what I've strived to keep at peace."

Zac's dark black eyes traveled from Caz's to his little diamond, and he glared as he looked back at his brother, "You were spared this time…"

The dark Irken god strode quietly from the room, Shadow on his heels and Caz gave Eleven one last smile before following his siblings out of the room. The three settled in ZiM's living room, unable to do anything too loud or disruptive lest they wished to have a tired and wailing smeet on their hands.

Zac looked smugly at his opposite as they cuddled into the oversized couch, "So Caz. When are you going to see your girl-fish again?"

Caz's eyes widened with a strange anger and his cheeks flushed angrily as he looked at his twin, "R-Ran is NOT a fish!!"

Shadow's head cocked to the side in confusion, "Ran swim deep. No air, she breathes, with wings of leatherness and water between her toes!!"

Caz's face flushed a dark green and he glared as hard as he could, which wasn't very good, "Yes, well… you're dating… that… _nice_ girl!!"

Zac laughed, openly, his head thrown back as his fist pounded the armrest, "You can't say a bad thing about her!!!"

The white-eyed god pouted, "She's a very nice young woman and she's very kind to us."

The evil Irk sneered, "You got that right. And she's MY Victoria."

Shadow giggled, snuggling deeper into the couch, "Shadow have Pinchy!! You not have Pinchy!!!"

Zac looked over his crazed brother, "Shadow… 'Pinchy' is a lobster."

The grey-eyed Irk chortled, hugging his sides as he laughed.

Caz sighed, "Zac, I do believe Shadow is aware of this…"

-

Far away, many galaxies away, a grayed and purple planet hung among the stars with little radiance left from the oppression unleashed from the Irken Empire's onslaught. It was here, that amid the many Vortians prisoners an Irk once clad in dark purples had tried his hand at ruling the universe.

His dark purple eyes had little to observe as he paced about his prison. His crime had been so complex and detailed that no control brain would allow him the freedom of an execution. No control brain would allow him a peaceful rest.

Perhaps, if they hadn't been so blind, things would have ended a little better. Things would have stayed as they should have been.

The room in which the prisoner had been placed was older than most. His cell had not been updated; it was one of the few that had been the first on Vort. It bore no bright lights as the others did; the cell's bed was old and creaked when touched or sat upon. The only light offered to the beast that bared form was from a window high above his cot. It was this window that changed a single moment. Caused a mind so clouded with anger and hate to lash out.

The beast growled angrily, slamming his fists into the walls of his prison. They allowed his life to linger so that he would not become lost as a memory. He was to be made into an example. Those idiotic enough to try and become those of the gods was to be seen as a failure that lived within the confines of the empire's claws. And at any whim, they could make him suffer.

The anger was pent up within the beast and he could feel the mark he had been left with, the scar he would soon wear burning beneath his mangled and rodent-bitten garb. The pain was excruciating, the light from the window above taunting him and his lack of freedom. The light, the anger, _that light_.

The beast yelled, his voice echoing from the cold reaches of his cell to the ends of the Vortian prison. The anger within him threw itself out into the open, a bright orange flame erupting from his fingertips and scorching the window that plagued upon him, tormented him. The fire burned deep into the walls and frame of the cell and when the anger had finally burned out, so did the flame.

The beast fell to his knees, his hands trembling in slow realization and wonder. He held his fingers to his face, focusing the anger and hate and then he saw it. The orange glow slowly flowed from his hands, slowly turned to a dangerous flame that this monster now controlled. After all, though a wound was made, the scar was left behind. And as the flames on his hand whispered and crackled in the dark, the beast snuffed it out, his claws forming a fist. And in the last glow of the stolen gifts of a god, Reep smiled.

--

… **or is it? *sneering smile of evil***


End file.
